Beethoven-Denkmal
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About
Beethoven-Denkmal is a large bronze statue of Ludwig van Beethoven on Münsterplatz in Bonn, Germany.
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Why go
- Germany’s oldest Beethoven monument.
- The front “Phantasie” relief, with a lyre-playing Muse guiding a sphinx.
- The rear “Eroica” relief, whose four genii represent the symphony’s four movements.
- At the unveiling festival, Liszt played Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto and conducted the Fifth Symphony.
Opening hours
Today00:00 – 23:59Show all
Monday00:00 – 23:59
Tuesday00:00 – 23:59
Wednesday00:00 – 23:59
Thursday00:00 – 23:59
Friday00:00 – 23:59
Saturday00:00 – 23:59
Sunday00:00 – 23:59
About the work
- Artist
- Ernst Julius Hähnel
- Caster
- Jakob Daniel Burgschmiet
- Material
- Bronze
- Pedestal
- Its allegories represent the kinds of music Beethoven composed. The right-hand relief symbolizes dramatic music and recalls “Egmont,” “Coriolan,” and “Fidelio.”
Interesting facts3
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3.2 tonnes
The statue weighs 3.2 tonnes; its pedestal cladding weighs 3.4 tonnes.
Beethoven-Denkmal (Bonner Münsterplatz) - Wikipedia -
George Smart and Ignaz Moscheles praised the likeness, but Beethoven’s assistant Anton Schindler disliked it.
Beethoven Monument - Wikipedia -
A parchment signed by visiting dignitaries was sealed inside the monument in a lead casket.
Beethoven Monument - Wikipedia
History
The first Beethoven Hall was built as a festival venue, with room for the expected 3,000 attendees.
- 1828Music scholar Heinrich Carl Breidenstein proposed a Beethoven monument in Bonn.
- 1835The Bonn Association for the Beethoven Monument called for a permanent memorial.
- 1839Franz Liszt began supporting the project with fundraising, concerts, and more than 10,000 francs of his own money.
- 1841Felix Mendelssohn wrote Variations sérieuses for the monument project.
- 1843–1845The unveiling was postponed from 6 August 1843 to 12 August 1845.
Show all
- 1845The statue was unveiled during a three-day Beethoven Festival marking 75 years since Beethoven’s birth. Royal guests and prominent composers, conductors, and performers attended.
- 2020An inspection in autumn found corrosion damage on the statue.
- 5 January 2022The statue was lifted from its pedestal for six months of repair and cleaning. Work finished in early summer. A public rededication took place on 14 August during the Schifferverein Beuel historical festival.
Best time to visit
- The monument is open 24 hours every day.
Sources: Beethoven Monument - Wikipedia · Beethoven-Denkmal (Bonner Münsterplatz) - Wikip… · checked 13 Oct 2026
Where
Münsterpl. 11, -, Bonn
Questions and answers
When is the Beethoven-Denkmal open?
It is open 24 hours every day.
Who helped fund the Beethoven-Denkmal?
Franz Liszt supported the project with fundraising and concerts, and contributed more than 10,000 francs of his own money.
Who directed the Beethoven-Denkmal unveiling festivities?
Franz Liszt directed the multi-day festivities.
What is the Beethoven-Denkmal’s address?
Münsterpl. 11, Bonn
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