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Eisenlohr: The architect who revolutionized Baden and shaped train stations!
Find out more about Friedrich Eisenlohr, his influence on Baden architecture and his teaching activities at the UNI Karlsruhe.
Eisenlohr: The architect who revolutionized Baden and shaped train stations!
On March 9, 2025, the work of Friedrich Eisenlohr, one of the most important architects of the 19th century, will be honored. Eisenlohr taught at the Karlsruhe Polytechnic and left a lasting influence on the Baden railway landscape. His innovative design was influential not only for train stations, but also for numerous signalman's houses.
Eisenlohr's designs are far-reaching. He designed many train stations on the Baden State Railway from 1838 onwards, including the train halls in Mannheim, Heidelberg, Baden-Baden and the old Karlsruhe train station. The latter served as a model for future train stations in Baden. In total, he designed over 300 signalman's houses, the characteristic housing of which is reminiscent of a signalman's house.
Artistic backgrounds and publications
In addition to his architectural work, Eisenlohr also deals intensively with theoretical aspects of architecture. He gave a speech on the architectural style of modern times at the opening of the lectures on architecture at the Polytechnic School in Karlsruhe in 1833. In 1835 he published the "Artistic Description of the Former Cistercian Abbey of Maulbronn", which is part of the series "Medieval Buildings in Southwestern Germany and on the Rhine".
His work from 1852, “Designs of buildings of various types designed or intended for execution as teaching aids for commercial and technical schools, as well as for master builders,” shows his innovative approaches to further training in construction. “Wooden Buildings of the Black Forest” appeared in 1853, published on behalf of the Grand Ducal Baden Ministry of the Interior, and around 1860 he compiled “Grave Monuments” based on his own and the works of Jakob Hochstetter.
In addition, between 1865 and 1873, Eisenlohr published a collection of buildings from the Grand Ducal Baden Railway, which includes train stations, stations and station houses.
Heritage and monuments
Eisenlohr's achievements are honored by a monument in the courtyard of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). As a teacher, he also influenced a generation of architects, including the well-known Reinhard Baumeister. Baumeister was a key advocate of the garden city movement and planned green districts in cities such as Mannheim, Heilbronn and Heidelberg.
The railway lines planned by Eisenlohr through the side valleys of the Rhine plain, in particular the Murgtal, Renchtal and Breisach railways, are still very popular with tourists today. Its influence is therefore not only of great importance architecturally, but also for the development of the transport infrastructure.
In summary, it can be said that Friedrich Eisenlohr made an important contribution to Baden's architectural history. His commitment to innovative designs and his extensive publications make him a central figure in 19th century architecture. Further details about his life and work can be found on the website KIT available and through publications such as those on the site SAAI are documented, in depth.