Hercules monument (Kassel)
Baroque monument with cascades and copper statue of Heracles.
The Hercules monument is a landmark in the German city of Kassel, located in the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe (Wilhelmshöhe Mountainpark) in northern Hesse, Germany. It is a copper statue depicting the ancient Greek demigod Heracles (German Herkules), situated atop a pyramid, which stands on top of an octagon. Today 'Hercules' refers to the whole monument, including the Octagon and Pyramid, and it is the highest point in the Wilhelmshöhe Bergpark.
- total_height
- 70.5 meters (231 ft)
- statue_height
- 8.25 meters (27.1 ft)
- octagon_height
- 32.65 meters (107.1 ft)
- pyramid_height
- 29.60 meters (97.1 ft)
- construction_start
- 1701 (statue)
- construction_end
- 1717 (statue)
- material
- Tuff from nearby quarries
Lore & Background
Construction of the Bergpark began in 1696. The Hercules statue was built from 1701 to 1717 and is based on the design of the Italian Giovanni Francesco Guerniero. The complex is the northernmost part of the park and is an important baroque aspect of the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe. 520 steps lead to the top. The water features were built on 3 June 1714. The cascades are a 250-meter (820 ft) long stone structure shaped like a staircase. The water starts from the Hercules monument and runs down the cascades, Steinhöfer's waterfall, the devil's bridge, finally tumbling down the aqueduct before arriving at the lake where a fountain of about 50 meters (160 ft) ends the spectacle. About 350,000 liters (77,000 imp gal; 92,000 U.S. gal) of water are needed. This system relies on natural pressure from reservoirs and underground pipes whose locks are opened manually.
Reader's Guide
The Hercules monument and the surrounding Wilhelmshöhe Bergpark were inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2013, owing to their outstanding Baroque architecture and intricate water features. The monument is the highest point in the park, located at 515 m (1,690 ft) above sea level on the eastern ridge of the Habichtswald. The complete structure (Octagon and Cascades) are made of Tuff sourced from quarries nearby, a soft material that weathers quickly, particularly by frost-related erosion. In late 2005, a restructuring of the entire monument was initiated, initially to be completed in 2009, but later estimated to cost more than 24 million Euro and last through 2018. During the summer (from May until October every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon), visitors can attend the water features event. Additionally, every first Saturday of June, July, August and September the event takes place during the evening with lights of different colors illuminating the water, the fountain and the monument features.
Did You Know?
- The Hercules monument has a total height of 70.5 meters (231 ft).
- The water features were built on 3 June 1714.
- About 350,000 liters of water are needed for the water spectacle.
- The statue is made of copper and depicts the ancient Greek demigod Heracles.
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