The Ottoneum, built 1603-06, was commissioned by Landgrave Moritz to the architect Wilhelm Vernukken and is named after Moritz’s favorite son, Otto. It was the first permanent theater in Germany. During the 30-year war, the building was used for casting canons, and in 1696 it underwent major changes by architect Paul du Ry, for its new function as a home to the art collection of Landgrave Karl. In 1709, it became an observatory and housed the Collegium Carolinum. The base of the observatory’s cupola housed the “anatomical theater” where anatomical curiosities and instruments were stored and human and animal corpses were dissected. During the following eighty years, the building had many different functions: from an art academy to a military hospital. In 1866 during the French reign it was the land registry office. Since 1885 it has housed the Natural History Collection. During the allied bombings of 1943 the roof and second storey were destroyed. It was rebuilt without a cupola and in 1954 reopened as the Natural History Museum. The ground floor was used as exhibition space for documenta 9 (1992), and documenta X utilised the second and third floors in 1997.

Photo: Nils Klinger

Steinweg 2
34117 Kassel

number 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and RT4, RT5
stop: Friedrichsplatz

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