Wasn’t this once a different place? Before you stands Villa Leonhardi a testament to Frankfurt’s rich history. Originally built in 1806 this classicist garden villa belonged to Johann Peter von Leonhardi a prominent Frankfurt banker politician and Freemason. His family hailed from Waldeck. Johann Peter represented the second generation of Leonhardis in Frankfurt. He was a respected banker and city councilman. In 1794 Emperor Leopold II elevated him to the rank of Reichsfreiherr.
Architect Nicolas Alexandre Salins de Montfort designed the villa. He also worked on the Schönhof in Bockenheim. Salins’s first commission in Frankfurt in the early 1790s was from Johann Peter von Leonhardi himself a residential and commercial building on Zeil. The villa’s initial location was on the former city ramparts near the Eschenheimer Tor.
Johann Peter’s son Karl Ludwig was less business-minded. He sold the summer house in 1825. It then became the Rosenbachischer Wirthsgarten a beer garden. The family moved to their Leonhardisches Schloss in Groß-Karben. This beer garden served Frankfurt’s upper-middle class until 1833. In 1835 it was acquired by a merchant named W F Jäger.
Banker Raphael Freiherr von Erlanger acquired the building in 1842. He made significant changes including adding a large orangery. Sadly the villa was demolished in 1905. Its portico with its sandstone colonnade found a new home. It became the entrance to the Palmengarten tennis club in 1912. It is now a protected monument.
After the tennis courts moved and the clubhouse was demolished the city decided to reconstruct Villa Leonhardi. This happened in 1987. The reconstruction used original building materials whenever possible. The city spent 6.8 million DM on the project. Another 1.2 million DM went to interior design.
Today Villa Leonhardi stands in the Palmengarten. It’s a cafe and event venue a beautiful reminder of Frankfurt’s past. It offers a glimpse into the lives of those who shaped this city. Enjoy your coffee here. Reflect on the journey of this remarkable building. Its story is one of loss rebirth and enduring elegance.