Federal City of Bonn

Bonn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia. It currently has about 336,000 residents. Bonn was once the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany: the German Bundestag met here, and the federal presidents and chancellors worked here.

On May 8, 1945, World War II came to an end. Germany had started and lost the war, and now lay in ruins. The victorious powers—Great Britain, France, the USA and the Soviet Union—divided the country into four occupation zones.

In 1949, the three western zones became the Federal Republic of Germany, while the Soviet zone became the German Democratic Republic (GDR). The former capital, Berlin, was divided, and its eastern part was declared the capital of the GDR. Bonn was designated the capital of the Federal Republic.

After the two German states were reunified in 1990, Berlin once again became the capital. However, it was agreed that certain government agencies and ministries would remain in Bonn. At the same time, Bonn was given the title of Federal City. This was meant to make clear that Bonn had once been the capital of the former Federal Republic.

In the Federal Republic of Germany, representatives elected by the people make up the German Bundestag. From 1949 to 1999, the Bundestag met in the Bundeshaus in Bonn, right on the Rhine. The current building was not completed until 1992.

The chamber of the former Federal Parliament Building could seat only 520 members of parliament and 400 visitors. In 1986, the old building was demolished and a new parliament building was constructed. At the time, no one expected the two German states to be reunited just a few years later.

Since the Bundestag moved to Berlin, the Bundeshaus and the surrounding buildings have been used for conferences and international meetings. Today, it is called the World Conference Center Bonn.

During the renovation of the Bundestag, members of parliament needed alternative premises for their meetings. They chose the former waterworks. Built in 1875, it supplied the city of Bonn with water until the 1950s.

The Bundestag chamber was set up here in 1986. It was only about half the size of the old one, so the members of parliament were rather cramped. At times, folding chairs even had to be set up to make room for everyone.

The high-rise building that once housed the offices of members of the Bundestag is known as the “Langer Eugen.” It is 115 metres tall and has 30 floors. From here, there is a lovely view of the nearby Rhine and the Siebengebirge hills. The building’s nickname refers to the short stature of Bundestag President Eugen Gerstenmaier. He championed the project, and the building was completed during his term in office. Today, the high-rise is used by the United Nations and provides space for 675 staff members from its various organisations.

The German government is headed by a Federal Chancellor. The Chancellor’s office is called the Federal Chancellery. It was in Bonn until 1999 and is now in Berlin. Until 1976, the chancellors worked in the Palais Schaumburg in Bonn. Germany’s first Federal Chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, chose this former industrialist’s villa as his official residence. When the villa became too small, a new Federal Chancellery was built and completed in 1976.

Two important works of art stand in front of this building. The bronze sculpture “Two Large Forms” was created by the artist Henry Moore. Sculptor Hubertus von Pilgrim designed a bust of Konrad Adenauer.

Today, the two former Federal Chancellery buildings in Bonn are still in use. Palais Schaumburg is a second official residence of the Federal Chancellor. The new office in Bonn is now home to the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Villa Hammerschmidt in Bonn was the official residence of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1950. Since 1994, the presidents have lived in Schloss Bellevue in Berlin. Villa Hammerschmidt was designated the second official residence. It is named after the industrialist Rudolf Hammerschmidt, who once lived here.

The private rooms of the Federal President are on the upper floor, while the reception, dining and meeting rooms are on the lower floor. The first Federal President, Theodor Heuss, lived in the villa himself.

Later presidents only used this as their workplace. When the Federal President is on site, a flag is raised on the roof of the villa to indicate this.

It is the largest church in Bonn and the city’s landmark. Its image has appeared in the city’s coat of arms since the 13th century. Construction began around 1050. This was one of the first great churches in the Rhineland. The word “Münster” comes from the Latin word “monasterium”, meaning a monastery.

A minster is a church built as part of a monastery. Churches from this period are also called basilicas. This church is therefore also known as a minster basilica. It may also bear the title Basilica minor, an honor awarded by the pope to particularly beautiful and important churches.

Over the centuries, the church has been renovated and expanded many times. The five different towers of the minster are particularly striking. Bonn Minster is also famous for its cloister. A cloister is a covered walkway surrounding the courtyard of a church building.

In 1567/77, the Archbishop of Cologne had a palace built in Bonn. He was also an elector, making him a powerful prince of the Holy Roman Empire. A large park, the Hofgarten, was laid out around the palace. After Bonn became part of the Kingdom of Prussia, the Prussian King Frederick William III founded the University of Bonn in 1818. It still bears his name today: the University of Bonn. It was housed in the palace of the Archbishop of Cologne. Today, the university is spread across more than 350 buildings throughout the city. Around 32,000 students attend one of Germany’s largest universities here.

Bonn is also home to Poppelsdorf Palace. It was built in 1740 on the remains of a moated castle. The wide Poppelsdorfer Allee was laid out between the two palaces.

In 1818, Poppelsdorf Palace also became the property of the university. The palace gardens were transformed into a botanical garden, where visitors can now see more than 8,000 different plants and eleven greenhouses. In summer, classical music concerts are held in front of the palace.

It is located right in the city centre. The building was built in 1737/38. Until 1978, it housed the city administration offices. They are now located in a new town hall. The town hall was badly damaged during the Second World War. When Bonn was still the capital, politicians from other countries were often received here.

The Old Town Hall has three floors in all, and its façade is decorated with stucco. A gilded outside staircase leads to the entrance.

One of Bonn’s most famous residents was Ludwig van Beethoven. He was born in Bonn in 1770 and is considered one of the most important composers of classical music. Despite developing a hearing impairment later in life that left him almost completely deaf, he created many great works that are still performed today.

His most famous work is the Ninth Symphony. Excerpts from it are now played as the European anthem. Beethoven left his home town in 1792 and wrote most of his works in Vienna. He was better supported by the aristocratic courts there. However, his memory has always remained alive in Bonn. His birthplace is now a museum.