Have you noticed this granite column? This is one of the “Hauptstadt Mannheim Jubiläumsgrenzstein 1907”. It marked Mannheim’s city limits. These stones celebrated the city’s 300th anniversary in 1907.
Back then seven of these boundary stones were erected. They stood at the old exits to Lampertheim, Weinheim, Schriesheim, Heidelberg, Schwetzingen and Ludwigshafen.
Richard Perrey designed these impressive markers. He was the city’s master builder. He modeled them after Roman milestones. Each “Hauptstadt Mannheim Jubiläumsgrenzstein 1907” was 2.10 meters high. 80 centimeters were buried in the ground. The diameter is 56 centimeters.
Look closely at the details. You’ll see the city coat of arms. The gilded inscription reads “Hauptstadt Mannheim Jubiläumsgrenzstein 1907”.
Originally seven of these “Hauptstadt Mannheim Jubiläumsgrenzstein 1907” stones existed. Today only six remain. They serve as reminders of the past. They stand in contrast to their modern surroundings.
You can find the remaining stones at these locations:
One stands at Altrhein corner Sandhofer Straße and Zellstoffstraße. Another is on Frankenthaler Straße. It is where it crosses Zellstoffstraße. The third stands on Spreewaldallee. It’s just after the turn from the B 38. The fourth “Hauptstadt Mannheim Jubiläumsgrenzstein 1907” is on the north side of Feudenheimer Straße. It’s about 750 meters from the main cemetery. The fifth is on the south side of Alten Mannheimer Weg. It’s south of the Mühlfeld. Today it’s on “Breiten Weg”. This is between the first roundabout of the Seckenheim bypass and the A 5 motorway. Finally the sixth “Hauptstadt Mannheim Jubiläumsgrenzstein 1907” is at Harrlachweg corner Seckenheimer Landstraße in Neuostheim.
One stone used to be at Casterfeldstraße and Sporwörthstraße. The civil engineering office moved it in 1953. The seventh stone near the old Rhine bridge no longer exists.
In 2007 the Stadtbild association restored these stones. This was for the city’s anniversary. They regilded the inscriptions. The “Hauptstadt Mannheim Jubiläumsgrenzstein 1907” stones are now interesting relics. They link Mannheim’s history with today. They stand as silent witnesses to the city’s growth. They connect different eras.