Rose in hand, Sebastian Rinz gazes serenely. This is the statue of Sebastian Rinz, Stadtgärtner. It stands here as a tribute to a man who shaped Frankfurt’s green spaces. But who was Sebastian Rinz? Why does he have a statue dedicated to him?
Sebastian Rinz was born in 1782. He became Frankfurt’s city gardener. In 1806, Jakob Guiollett commissioned him to design the Wallanlagen. These parks replaced the demolished city walls. His work was very popular.
Locals appreciated the transformation. In 1808, Rinz earned the title “Frankfurter Stadtgärtner auf Lebenszeit”. This translates to Frankfurt City Gardener for life. The statue reflects this. It shows a nature lover in an idyllic setting. Large trees surround him. He lovingly examines a rose.
Heinrich Petry created the Rinz monument in 1892. It was initially in the Gallusanlage. Ten years later, it moved to its current location in the Friedberger Anlage. This was due to the construction of the Schauspielhaus.
During World War II, the bronze figure was saved from being melted down. It was re-erected in 1949. Rinz’s impact on Frankfurt extends beyond the Wallanlagen. He designed the main cemetery in 1828. This replaced the old Peterskirchhof.
In 1838, Amschel Mayer Rothschild commissioned the Günthersburgpark in Bornheim. Rinz also created a landscape garden on the grounds of the Peterskirchhof in 1858. Only a small part of it remains today. The park of the Philosophisch-Theologischen Hochschule Sankt Georgen also goes back to Rinz. He designed it for Georg von Saint-George in the mid-19th century.
Outside Frankfurt, Rinz designed gardens for Villa Leonhardi. This was in Groß Karben. He also designed the Kurpark Wiesbaden and Schloss Johannisberg.
His last project was the Nizza. This is a green space on the Main River. An old arm of the Main was filled in 1860 to connect to the island Mainlust. It is called Nizza because of the many exotic plants. They thrive here due to the favorable microclimate. They are reminiscent of the gardens of the French Riviera. Rinz could not finish the work. His grandson, Andreas Weber, completed it.
Rinz became a citizen of Frankfurt in 1811. He and his wife, Henriette, opened a flower and seed shop. It was near the Frankfurt Cathedral. Rinz was an honorary member of the Senckenberg Nature Research Society. He joined in 1820. He was also a member of the Frankfurt Society for the Promotion of Useful Arts. He joined in 1857.
Besides this statue the city has honored Rinz in other ways. Several streets in Frankfurt and the surrounding area are named after him. The Sebastian-Rinz-Straße borders the Grüneburgpark. Ironically, his student Heinrich Siesmayer designed that park.
Rinz died in 1861. He was buried in the main cemetery he designed. His grave is marked by a Lebanese cedar he planted himself. The statue of Sebastian Rinz reminds us of his contributions. He transformed Frankfurt into a greener, more beautiful city. He left a lasting legacy.