Bayerischer Platz (Berlin U-Bahn)
Encyclopedia
Bayerischer Platz is a Berlin U-Bahn
station on the and the . The station is located under the square of the same name in the centre of the Bayerisches Viertel neighbourhood in Schöneberg
. The U4 station opened with the rest of that line on 1 December 1910 and is now a protected historic landmark; the U7 part of the station opened on 29 January 1971.
and Innsbrucker Platz, today's U4, was built by the then independent city of Schöneberg to connect it to the "new West" of Berlin (now called City West and the main business centre of West Berlin
prior to German reunification
). The Bayerischer Platz station was built in 1909/10 to the design of Johannes Kraaz. However, the platform areas of each station on the line were built to a standardised design, presumed to be by Friedrich Gerlach, the Prussian official who was involved in every facet of the development of Schöneberg. The stations resemble those of Alfred Grenander
and emulate his use of a distinguishing colour for each station.
Kraaz conceived of the south entrance to the station as a pergola
integrated into Fritz Encke's architecture in the square. Since it was the only station on the line to have a 90 m long platform from the start, it was given another entrance at the north end, also in pergola style. This entrance survives largely unchanged today. However, the south entrance, which had been rebuilt after being destroyed in World War II, had to be removed in 1956/57 when Grunewaldstraße was straightened to run through the square.
Already at the time of the station's construction, there were plans to have a line to Neukölln
cross at this point. The station was intended to bridge such a future line, which would eventually be built 60 years later.
On 3 February 1945, during World War II, several Allied bombs scored direct hits on the station while 2 trains were halted there, killing 63 people.
) were replaced with slightly brighter colours during reconstruction after the war, but the platform appears almost as it did, and two original kiosks, one with the original tiling, also remain. The next station is Viktoria-Luise-Platz
or Rathaus Schoneberg
.
panels with the station name on a white horizontal stripe, and the support columns are white. The ceiling, resembling skylights in industrial buildings, was designed to avoid dazzling train operators; the fluorescent lights are inset in red piping. The lobbies are decorated in contrasting colours: white, red and turquoise. The design resembles that at Eisenacher Straße
, also by Rümmler. The next station is Berliner Straße
(change here for U9) or Eisenacher Straße
.
At the same time, the glass-fronted south entrance building erected in the 1950s to replace the demolished original was rebuilt to a modernistic design, also by Rümmler. Colourful art is mounted on the walls inside.
Berlin U-Bahn
The Berlin is a rapid transit railway in Berlin, the capital city of Germany, and is a major part of the public transport system of that city. Opened in 1902, the serves 173 stations spread across ten lines, with a total track length of , about 80% of which is underground...
station on the and the . The station is located under the square of the same name in the centre of the Bayerisches Viertel neighbourhood in Schöneberg
Schöneberg
Schöneberg is a locality of Berlin, Germany. Until Berlin's 2001 administrative reform it was a separate borough including the locality of Friedenau. Together with the former borough of Tempelhof it is now part of the new borough of Tempelhof-Schöneberg....
. The U4 station opened with the rest of that line on 1 December 1910 and is now a protected historic landmark; the U7 part of the station opened on 29 January 1971.
History and architecture
The Schöneberg line between NollendorfplatzNollendorfplatz (Berlin U-Bahn)
Nollendorfplatz is a Berlin U-Bahn station located on the , the , the , and the . It opened in 1902 and today is the only station in Berlin that is served by four metro lines.-Overview:...
and Innsbrucker Platz, today's U4, was built by the then independent city of Schöneberg to connect it to the "new West" of Berlin (now called City West and the main business centre of West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
prior to German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
). The Bayerischer Platz station was built in 1909/10 to the design of Johannes Kraaz. However, the platform areas of each station on the line were built to a standardised design, presumed to be by Friedrich Gerlach, the Prussian official who was involved in every facet of the development of Schöneberg. The stations resemble those of Alfred Grenander
Alfred Grenander
Alfred Frederik Elias Grenander, , was one of the most prominent architects during the first building period of the Berlin U-Bahn in the first half of the twentieth century....
and emulate his use of a distinguishing colour for each station.
Kraaz conceived of the south entrance to the station as a pergola
Pergola
A pergola, arbor or arbour is a garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support cross-beams and a sturdy open lattice, often upon which woody vines are trained...
integrated into Fritz Encke's architecture in the square. Since it was the only station on the line to have a 90 m long platform from the start, it was given another entrance at the north end, also in pergola style. This entrance survives largely unchanged today. However, the south entrance, which had been rebuilt after being destroyed in World War II, had to be removed in 1956/57 when Grunewaldstraße was straightened to run through the square.
Already at the time of the station's construction, there were plans to have a line to Neukölln
Neukölln
Neukölln is the eighth borough of Berlin, located in the southeastern part of the city and was part of the former American sector under the Four-Power occupation of the city...
cross at this point. The station was intended to bridge such a future line, which would eventually be built 60 years later.
On 3 February 1945, during World War II, several Allied bombs scored direct hits on the station while 2 trains were halted there, killing 63 people.
North entrance and U4 platform
The north entrance and lobby with their wrought iron railings and pilasters are largely unchanged, the only station entrance on the line to be preserved. The walls are tiled in blue and the stairwells faced with fossil-bearing rock. In the platform area, the original white and blue wall tiles (the heraldic colours of BavariaBavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
) were replaced with slightly brighter colours during reconstruction after the war, but the platform appears almost as it did, and two original kiosks, one with the original tiling, also remain. The next station is Viktoria-Luise-Platz
Viktoria-Luise-Platz (Berlin U-Bahn)
Viktoria-Luise-Platz is a Berlin U-Bahn station located on the .1910 Schöneberg, a part of Berlin, built its own subway line the U4. This station was built by E.Deneke and consists of green and white tiles on the walls and green columns. The place and subway station is under preservation...
or Rathaus Schoneberg
Rathaus Schöneberg (Berlin U-Bahn)
Rathaus Schöneberg is a Berlin U-Bahn station located on the .Opened in 1910 as station "Stadtpark", designed by J.E.Schaudt. From 1940 to 1951 it was closed due to severe damage during the war. It was reopened with the actual name.-References:...
.
U7 station and new south entrance
The lower-level U7 portion of the station, built to Rainer G. Rümmler's design in 1968–70 and opened in 1971, also makes use of the Bavarian colours: the walls are clad in blue fibre cementFibre cement
Fibre cement is often applied in building and construction materials, mainly in roofing and facade products because of its strength and durability.-Material description:...
panels with the station name on a white horizontal stripe, and the support columns are white. The ceiling, resembling skylights in industrial buildings, was designed to avoid dazzling train operators; the fluorescent lights are inset in red piping. The lobbies are decorated in contrasting colours: white, red and turquoise. The design resembles that at Eisenacher Straße
Eisenacher Straße (Berlin U-Bahn)
Eisenacher Straße is a Berlin U-Bahn station located on the .R.G. Rümmler constructed this station which was opened 1971.The wall is covered with green asbestos cement panels. As Eisenach is a city nearby the forest in Thuringia which is called the green heart of Germany, Rümmler has chosen green...
, also by Rümmler. The next station is Berliner Straße
Berliner Straße (Berlin U-Bahn)
Berliner Straße is a Berlin U-Bahn station located on the and on the .-Overview:Opened in 1971 as an important crosspoint between line U7 and U9...
(change here for U9) or Eisenacher Straße
Eisenacher Straße (Berlin U-Bahn)
Eisenacher Straße is a Berlin U-Bahn station located on the .R.G. Rümmler constructed this station which was opened 1971.The wall is covered with green asbestos cement panels. As Eisenach is a city nearby the forest in Thuringia which is called the green heart of Germany, Rümmler has chosen green...
.
At the same time, the glass-fronted south entrance building erected in the 1950s to replace the demolished original was rebuilt to a modernistic design, also by Rümmler. Colourful art is mounted on the walls inside.
Sources
- Biagia Bongiorno. Die Bahnhöfe der Berliner Hoch- und Untergrundbahn. Verkehrsdenkmale in Berlin. Berlin: Imhof, 2007. ISBN 978-3-86568-292-5. p. 128.
External links
- Map of station location, Berliner VerkehrsbetriebeBerliner VerkehrsbetriebeThe is the main public transport company of Berlin, the capital city of Germany. It manages the city's U-Bahn underground railway, tram, bus and ferry networks, but not the S-Bahn urban rail system....
(pdf)