Niederwald monument
The Niederwald monument is a monument located in the Niederwald, near Rüdesheim am Rhein in Hesse, Germany, built between 1871 and 1883 to commemorate the Unification of Germany. The monument is located within the Rhine Gorge, a larger UNESCO World Heritage Site. It overlooks the Rhine Valley and the town of Bingen on the far side.
History
The monument was constructed to commemorate the founding of the German Empire in 1871 after the end of the Franco-Prussian War. The first stone was laid on 16 September 1877 by Kaiser Wilhelm I. The sculptor was Johannes Schilling, and the architect was Karl Weißbach. The total cost of the work is estimated at one million gold marks. The monument was inaugurated on 28 September 1883. The tall monument represents the union of all Germans.Description
Structure
The central figure is the tall Germania on a throne decorated with eagles. Her right hand holds the Imperial Crown, and her left holds the Imperial Sword.The pedestal beneath Germania have four inscriptions, one on each side, accompanied by four palm leaves on each corner. The next level beneath the pedestal decorated with wreaths of laurel, ribbons and Iron Crosses, and the lower level decorated with coats of arms of German states, and a Reichsadler.
Beneath the eagle is a large relief depicting Kaiser Wilhelm I riding a horse and accompanied by nobility, army commanders, and soldiers. The relief has the lyrics to "Die Wacht am Rhein" engraved.
Beneath the relief of Kaiser Wilhelm I is a statue depicting Rhenus Pater gives a bugle horn to his daughter Mosella, it symbolized the annexation of Alsace–Lorraine by German Empire.
The left side of the monument is a large relief depicting a scenario of farewell to Prussian soldiers, the right side of the monument is a large relief depicting a scenario of welcoming Prussian soldiers.
The front right corner of the monument is considered the allegory of peace, while the front left corner is considered the allegory of war.
Inscription
The monument's main inscription is engraved on the pedestal of the Germania statue:AN DIE EINMUETHIGE
SIEGREICHE ERHEBUNG
DES DEUTSCHEN VOLKES
UND AN DIE
WIEDERAUFRICHTUNG
DES DEUTSCHEN REICHES
1870–1871
of the unanimous
victorious uprising
of the German people
and of the
reinstitution
of the German Empire
1870–1871
The left side of the pedestal have inscriptions of Weißenburg, Wœrth, Spichern, Courcelles, Mars la Tour, Gravelotte, Beaumont, Sedan. The right side of the pedestal have inscriptions of Straßburg, Metz, Le Bourget, Amiens, Orléans, Le Mans, St. Quentin, Paris. Each of these places in France were sites of battles in the French-Prussian war of 1870/71.
The back side have following inscriptions:
10. MAI 1871
10 May 1871