The Mathildenhöhe World Heritage Site has always been an international center of attraction for contemporary art. In 1908, the building was opened with a presentation of the visual arts of the time. In 1920, an exhibition on Expressionism was held, with around 1,000 works of international importance. Now, a three-day opening celebration from September 20 to 22, 2024, will give the public another glimpse of the city's art treasures.
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00:00Darmstadt is located just south of Frankfurt and is now home to world-class industrial companies,
00:12space travel and science. For some it may seem a little scattered,
00:16but architectural and artistic gems can be found here, such as the walled Spiral
00:21built between 1998 and 2000 according to designs by Friedensreich Hundertwasser,
00:26or the almost 100-year-old Art Nouveau bath, which still attracts visitors.
00:32Darmstadt's reputation as a center of Art Nouveau, however, dates back to the end of the 19th century.
00:56She is the inspiration behind the Mathildenhohe, Princess Alice of Great Britain and Ireland,
01:10Grand Duchess of Hesse and Bayreuth.
01:26Princess Alice has a strong commitment to public health care.
01:54She is particularly interested in improving the hygienic conditions for women in childbed.
01:59In 1867, she and Louise Buckner founded the Alice Hospital in Darmstadt, which was named
02:05after her. The two women developed the profession of nursing without religious ties. With the
02:11princess's active support, the Alice Hospital in Darmstadt was established after initial
02:16challenges in the lazarets of the wars of 1866 and 1870-71.
02:24The Darmstadt-born painter Paul Weber is brought back to Germany
02:28from the United States as court painter. Alice takes painting lessons with him.
02:46I was born in Darmstadt, on the Mathildenhohe, and my son Ernst Ludwig had this all built.
02:58I had to make a confession to him about the idea for an art colony, which I had originally
03:10planned. But then Ernie went there and called all the artists, Ulbricht and so on.
03:23The ideas of Princess Alice, coupled with the realization of Grand Ducernes Ludwig,
03:28are the key to an extraordinary collection of fine and applied arts,
03:32which also includes the striking exhibition building with its wedding tower.
03:36In short, art and culture are perfectly blended here, showcasing the extensive creative output
03:42of the many universal artists who worked at Mathildenhohe from 1899 to 1914.
03:50In 2021, Mathildenhohe Darmstadt was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List,
03:56and presents concepts and objects in its permanent exhibition Raumkunst
04:00made in Darmstadt that, despite their age, appear young, fresh, and still up to date today.
04:30Ernie always said to the artists, you are not responsible for anyone but humanity,
04:44and they will later say what is good in your mind. So, fresh, no mood, and pure colors and clear shapes.