Old artillery barracks

The artillery barracks in Schwerin, built between 1856 and 1861, represent the style of medieval fortress buildings and are a striking example of 19th century military architecture. Its exposed location on Ostorfer Berg and the architectural design underline the political stability of the monarchy at a time of social upheaval. Schwerin has been the main base for the Mecklenburg army since the mid-17th century. With the decision to move the residence of the state of Mecklenburg from Ludwigslust to Schwerin, the guard battalion was also stationed in the city. A barracks was requested as early as 1816, but good things take time. Construction did not begin until 1856 and the barracks were finally completed in 1861. The expansion of the garrison site also became a priority in connection with the planning of new buildings and extensions to the Schwerin residence. The protection and military sovereignty of the monarchy had to be present in the residence in a structurally efficient manner. Symbolic visual axes between the palace, the Old Garden and the barracks site were essential for the selection of the building site. Elements from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance are combined in the typical historicist buildings - inspired by Prussian barracks of the 19th century. As a monumental three-winged complex with outward-facing façades, the new barracks building presented itself impressively to the city. Representative corner towers and a triaxial projection in the middle form the part of the building facing the lake and the final background for the palace gardens. In this way, the overall architectural composition of the residential complex with a direct visual reference to and from the palace was taken into account. The Old Artillery Barracks are considered to be one of the largest planned barracks of the 19th century in Mecklenburg. The building was designed by the military architect Ludwig Wachenhusen. Up to 100 horses, carriages and guns were housed on the first floor. The rooms in the corner towers were reserved as apartments for the officers and their families. The kitchen and dining rooms, laundry store, laundry room, wheelhouse and ancillary rooms were located in the vaulted basement. The attic rooms were used as drying rooms and as dormitories during maneuvers. The style The ensemble was designed in the style of medieval fortress buildings, the fortifications of a fort. This gives the building complex with its location on the hill of Ostorfer Berg a special visual and urban significance. Architecturally, there is a striking resemblance to the arsenal at Pfaffenteich, which was built between 1840 and 1844. The Prussian cap ceilings and the staggered usage sequences inside the barracks can otherwise only be found in the Görlitz barracks and the arsenal in Vienna. In this respect, the artillery barracks in Schwerin are one of the last completely preserved buildings of this type.