Nicolaihaus

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  The Nicolaihaus at Brüderstraße 13 in Berlin-Mitte.

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  Inner courtyard of the Nicolaihaus.

The Nicolaihaus is one of the oldest residential buildings in Berlin and has one of the few preserved baroque courtyards in the city.

The Nicolaihaus in Berlin-Mitte is one of the few remaining baroque houses in Berlin. After its construction in 1670, it underwent several alterations. The building got its name from Friedrich Nicolai. The writer and publisher acquired the house in Brüderstraße in 1787 and had it rebuilt again. The current appearance of the building ensemble with three storeys and the baroque inner courtyard has remained almost unchanged since then.

Nicolaihaus as a center of literary enlightenment

Nicolai used the house not only as a residence, but also as a publishing house. The Nicolaische Buchhandlung (Nicolai's Bookshop) was also located on the lower floor. Under Nicolai, the house became a center of literary enlightenment. Activists such as Daniel Chodowiecki, Johann Gottfried Schadow and Karl Friedrich Schinkel worked here.

The Nicolaihaus becomes a museum

After Nicolai's death and the bookshop's move to Dorotheenstraße, the Lessing Museum moved into the building in 1910. Areas of the building were used as a museum until it was closed by the National Socialists in 1936.

Severe damage during the Second World War

During the Second World War, the Nicolaihaus suffered severe damage. Reconstruction work on the façade began in 1952. The GDR Institute for the Preservation of Monuments moved into the renovated interior, which was specially redesigned for this purpose. The side wing, which had been destroyed during the war, was also rebuilt. Extensive restoration work was carried out between 1974 and 1984. During this process, the Weydinger staircase, a classicist structure that had previously been saved from the Ermelerhaus before it was demolished, was integrated into the transverse wing.

Regularly open for guests

Today, the German Foundation for Monument Protection has its headquarters in the Nicolaihaus. The building previously stood empty for many years. It was extensively renovated again by the foundation in 2014/15. The baroque building is regularly open to interested visitors.

Information

• Address:
  Brüderstr. 13
  10178 Berlin
  City map
• Phone: [phone]