Behold the Rolling Horse a monumental sculpture at Berlin’s main station. This isn’t your average equestrian statue. It’s a 35-ton behemoth standing 97 meters tall and 87 meters wide. Created by Jurgen Goertz it’s a curious blend of steel aluminum plastic glass and stone.
The Rolling Horse depicts a horse-like form curving around a wheel segment. This isn’t just a random design choice. It cleverly symbolizes the railway’s circular movement. The sculpture’s base cleverly incorporates architectural remnants from the old Lehrter Bahnhof. These remnants are visible through four portholes in the base itself.
The Rolling Horse wasn’t universally loved from the start. The Berlin Association of Visual Artists publicly criticized it in 2007. They called it provincial and too similar to Goertz’s S-Printing Horse in Heidelberg. This wasn’t just some random artistic critique. Both sculptures were commissioned by companies headed by Hartmut Mehdorn. He was the CEO of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG for one and Deutsche Bahn for the other.
Interestingly the Rolling Horse’s inauguration coincided with Deutsche Bahn’s company festival in May 2007. Hartmut Mehdorn himself praised the sculpture as representing Berlin’s rich transportation history. He saw it as a link between the city’s early public transport and the modern Berlin Hauptbahnhof.
So here we stand before this imposing and somewhat controversial artwork. It’s a powerful symbol of Berlin’s evolution as a transportation hub. It also serves as a reminder of the sometimes subjective nature of art criticism. The Rolling Horse whether you love it or hate it is undeniably a unique addition to Berlin’s urban landscape. Its presence here invites us to reflect on the interplay between art history and corporate commissioning. It’s a conversation starter a testament to a city’s relentless forward momentum.