Have you ever wondered about a sculpture that sparked debate? That’s the Weltkugel Sculpture for you. It is also known as the Euro-Skulptur. This striking piece of art stands at Willy-Brandt-Platz in Frankfurt am Main. It is one of two copies.
Ottmar Hörl designed the Euro-Skulptur in the late 1990s. The Frankfurter Kultur Komitee received one version. They decided to display it in front of the European Central Bank’s former seat. Before the Weltkugel Sculpture was installed, there was a Euro clock. The lights of the Weltkugel Sculpture lit up for the first time on New Year’s Eve 2001/2002. This marked the introduction of the Euro.
The Weltkugel Sculpture quickly became a popular photo opportunity. People often used it to illustrate news stories about the Euro. When the European Central Bank moved in 2014, its location was questioned. Some wondered if the sculpture should move too. There was even talk of moving it to Paris. But the Weltkugel Sculpture remained at Willy-Brandt-Platz.
In 2015, the Weltkugel Sculpture got a technical update. The old lights were replaced with LEDs. Despite its fame, not everyone loved the Weltkugel Sculpture. One newspaper described it as “never popular with the people of Frankfurt”. They called it “a work of art with too little art.” Yet, they also argued for keeping it.
In 2022, the Frankfurter Kultur Komitee considered auctioning it off. Maintenance costs were too high about €200,000 per year. The city of Frankfurt declined to provide funding. Fortunately, a financial start-up, Caiz Development, stepped in. They agreed to cover the maintenance costs for five years. So, the Weltkugel Sculpture remains in its original location. It continues to be a symbol of Frankfurt and the Euro.