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A semi for Philipp Melanchthon |
The construction project was actually begun on February 16, 2010, on the 513th anniversary of Melanchthon’s birth. The fence separating the gardens of the Melanchthon House and the adjacent property was removed on that day. Melanchthon’s own garden had originally encompassed both properties. After 150 years of being divided, they were reunited. Accordingly, the construction project will unite both properties into a single ensemble. The Melanchthon House will be expanded by means of an unobtrusive annex on the adjacent property. This will make it possible to remove all utilitarian functions from the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The annex will house the visitors’ entrance, with ticketing area and shop, as well as the toilets. A lift will also render the Melanchthon House much more accessible. The annex will also contain additional exhibition space as well as facilities for events and for cultural education. The Melanchthon House itself will be discreetly modernised.
The annex was designed by dietzsch & weber architekten (Halle an der Saale).
The Leucorea Foundation purchased the property, which lies between the Melanchthon House and the old university, and transferred its title to the Luther Memorials Foundation for a period of 99 years. Four million euro has been made available for the purchase of the property, the construction project, and the new permanent exhibition. Funding was provided by the German economic stimulus programme ‘Konjunkturprogramm II’, by the investment programme ‘Nationale Welterbestätten’ (National world heritage sites) of the BMVBS (Federal Ministry of Transport, Building, and Urban Development), by the Ministry of Regional Development and Transport of Saxony-Anhalt, and by the city of Wittenberg.
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