Imagine standing before a building that once reigned as the world’s largest inner-city trade fair building. This is the 14 – ehemals Ringmessehaus. Today, part of it houses a modern budget hotel.
The Ring-Messehaus has a rich history. Construction happened in phases until 1926. The Ring-Messehaus AG built it. The complex stretches from Tröndlinring to Humboldtstraße. It sits north of Richard-Wagner-Platz.
Initially, a 13000 square meter section arose by 1922. This was on the former “Geibels Garten” property. In 1925, the front building grew by eight stories. Leipzig architect Gustav Pflaume added a small portico to the facade. A restaurant opened in the basement. By 1926, the Ring-Messehaus reached its planned size.
Tragedy struck during World War II. A bomb attack on December 3-4, 1943 heavily damaged two-thirds of the Ring-Messehaus.
Yet, the Ring-Messehaus rose again. The first Leipzig trade fair after the war opened here on May 8, 1946. Exhibitions initially only took place on the ground floor. Within two years, extensive renovations and remodeling were complete. Oskar Pusch planned these changes. In 1955, a five-story front building expanded the north end. This added 5000 square meters of usable space. Representative structures adorned the north and south sides.
Afterward, 20000 square meters of exhibition space were available. All corridors and hallways in the complex totaled about 4500 meters.
The Ring-Messehaus closed in 1994. It remained empty afterward. A press article stated that Israeli investor Adi Keizman acquired the Ring-Messehaus in 2006.
In 2013, workers demolished the section between the head buildings. The head buildings underwent renovation. The area in between was rebuilt for a Travel24.com hotel. The hotel’s completion faced delays due to groundwater issues. The opening finally occurred in early 2017. In January 2017, a 15-meter illuminated sign was installed on the roof. In April 2017, Travel24 sold the building. They sold it to an investment company of Vicus Group AG and GSC Immobilienbeteiligungsgesellschaft mbH. Simultaneously, they signed a long-term lease.
The Ring-Messehaus stands as a testament to Leipzig’s trade history. It overcame war and change. Today, it continues its story as a hotel, a modern chapter in its long history. It is a structure that has adapted to the times.