Kollegiengebäude I

Has anyone ever told you about the heated debates that once swirled around this very spot? Long before Kollegiengebäude I graced the cityscape, a fierce battle of ideas unfolded, deciding its fate. The year was 1891. The University of Freiburg, bursting at the seams with a student body exploding from a cozy 270 to a bustling 1500 in just a few years, desperately needed a new home. Kollegiengebäude I, as we know it today, was still a distant dream. Mayor Otto Winterer envisioned a grand university perched on the Schlossberghang, overlooking the city like an academic acropolis. Can you picture it? But fate, it seems, had other plans. In 1896, this very location, then occupied by the Rempartkaserne, was chosen. The stage was set for the birth of Kollegiengebäude I. In 1903, a hefty sum of 2 million Goldmark, equivalent to about 12 million euros today, was approved for construction. The cost was shared, with the Karlsruher government shouldering half, the university a third, and the city of Freiburg a sixth. Construction began in 1906, but tragedy struck. Architect Friedrich Ratzel, the mind behind the neo-Renaissance design, took his own life just a year into the project. Hermann Billing stepped in, tasked with continuing Ratzel’s vision. But Billing, a man with his own artistic compass, had other ideas. He unveiled a revised design. It was a bold departure, embracing the flowing lines and organic forms of Jugendstil, also known as Art Nouveau. The city’s elite were aghast. Their neo-Renaissance dreams were crumbling before their eyes. But Billing held firm. And when Kollegiengebäude I finally opened its doors in 1911, with a three-day celebration, the sheer elegance of the building silenced the critics. The university now had space for its burgeoning student population, which had reached over 3000 by the time of the opening. Kollegiengebäude I isn’t just a pretty face though. It bears the scars of history. A fire in 1934 led to the addition of another floor. World War II left its mark too, significantly altering the roof and sadly removing the iconic dome that once crowned the Aula. Today, Kollegiengebäude I stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of learning, a symbol of Freiburg’s rich academic heritage. It’s a place where history whispers from the sandstone walls, inviting us to explore the stories etched within.