Velodrom (Regensburg)

Last updated
Velodrom
Velodrom (Regensburg)
General information
Town or city Regensburg
Country Germany
Coordinates 49°01′12″N12°05′15″E / 49.01991°N 12.08744°E / 49.01991; 12.08744
Estimated completion1898
Facade of the Velodrom Regensburg Velodrom (Regensburg).JPG
Facade of the Velodrom Regensburg

The Velodrom is a venue of the Theater Regensburg and is located on Simon-Oberndorfer-Platz at the beginning of the Westnerwacht in Regensburg. The word Velodrom comes from Velodrome, the French word for cycle racing track.

Contents

History

The trigger for development of the site at Arnulfsplatz 195b [1] was provided by businessman and bicyclist Simon Oberdorfer. He hired the young architect Joseph Koch for planning. Founded in 1891, the building first served as a hall for various cycling demonstrations for the Wanderer-Radler-Verein (Walking & Cycling Club) including artistic cycling presentations by Oberdorfer himself. In the course of planning, the idea developed to build an event center. The approval dragged on, as the city magistrate repeatedly criticized the unfavorable fire escape situation due to close quarters. Only action by Adolf Schmetzer on October 1, 1897 brought the breakthrough to obtain preliminary approval. Nevertheless, there were still a few legal pitfalls waiting. It was not until 1898, after a short construction period, that the opening took place.

Initially the Velodrom was used for many classical events with variety, dance and artistry demonstrations. Part of the variety program was artistic cycling by so-called "eccentric-cyclists", even bicycle races were included. [2] So in fact the building at least partially served the initial purpose and justified its name. The hall was also rented for major social events. Thus, it was also used in 1904 for the General Assembly of German Catholics (51st Catholic Day). [3] In addition, Oberdorfer hosted Social Democrats, who had no other meeting place in church-dominated Regensburg. Georg von Vollmar , Kurt Eisner , Erhard Auer and Toni Pfülf also spoke here. [4] [1]

In 1929, Oberdorfer had the Velodrom converted into the "Capitol Cinema" and leased the property. In 1938 he sold it to a car repair shop, which retained the previous use. In the same year, Oberdorfer and his family managed to flee the Nazis to America. Once there, they did not receive asylum and were sent back to Europe, ending up in the Netherlands. Here they were arrested by the Nazis and deported to Westerbork concentration camp and later to Sobibor, where they were murdered April 30, 1943.

The building was preserved in its initial form after the reparation in 1945, and was continued as a classic cinema. It also served as a meeting room for the denazification processes. [1] After the decline as a family movie house it served as a porn cinema until it closed in 1974. From then on, the Velodrom served as a facade for the Regensburg theater after the interior was demolished.

The site was sold to a company in 1990, which promoted demolition due to alleged dilapidation. [1] Under cover of darkness, a Regensburg-based architect and a steel-construction technician entered the grounds without authorization and clandestinely took material samples for examination. The results were submitted to the city council, who immediately had the building listed as a historical monument. [3] [5]

The building was renovated according to strict monument preservation criteria from 1990 to 1996. In addition, remains of a Roman house were discovered during the excavation work. After installing modern seating, the building will henceforth be used as an event hall. [3]

Plate in memory of Simon Oberdorfer, founder of the Velodrom Regensburg Tafel Oberdorfer Regensburg.jpg
Plate in memory of Simon Oberdorfer, founder of the Velodrom Regensburg

In memory of the founder, the place in front of the Velodrom was renamed to Simon-Oberdorfer-Platz, 15 October 2017. [6]

Structure and equipment

The hall is constructed with steel trusses supporting an open-span roof. Surrounding balconies are supported by fluted columns. The mezzanine is ringed with an oval motif mimicking the curve of a velodrome. The front forms a tripartite facade. The original hall was 25 x 35 m, at the time the largest hall in Regensburg. The artistically designed roof construction corresponded to the latest standard and can be found in a similar simplified design at Cologne Cathedral. The hall was supplemented by utility rooms, cloakrooms, toilets and a boiler room, as well as a small side room to the south of the building.

The structure was quite imposing. Koch also put great emphasis on the lighting. Therefore, the room received a modern, changeable lighting system with eight carbon arc lamps. Noteworthy was the sweeping stage, the retractable fountain and the slide on the right side of the gallery. [1]

Equipment and modern use

There are currently 593 seats in the auditorium, 490 seats in 17 rows as a grandstand in the stalls, 99 seats in the gallery and four wheelchair seats. After being used as an alternative Regensburg venue during the three-year renovation of the theater on Bismarckplatz, it is now used as a venue for particularly large-scale productions, predominantly for musical, ballet and drama. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regensburg</span> City in Bavaria, Germany

Regensburg is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the Danube, Naab and Regen rivers, Danube's northernmost point. It is the capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the state. With more than 150,000 inhabitants, Regensburg is the fourth-largest city in the State of Bavaria after Munich, Nuremberg and Augsburg. From its foundation as an imperial Roman river fort, the city has been the political, economic and cultural centre of the surrounding region. Later, under the rule of the Holy Roman Empire, it housed the Perpetual Diet of Regensburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Velodrom (Berlin)</span> Sports arena and velodrome in Berlin, Germany

The Velodrom (velodrome) is an indoor track cycling arena, in the Prenzlauer Berg locality of Berlin, Germany. Holding up to 12,000 people, it was also Berlin's largest concert venue, until the opening of O2 World in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Velòdrom d'Horta</span>

Velòdrom d'Horta is a velodrome located in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was the track cycling venue for the 1992 Summer Olympics and was also the venue for the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baltika Stadium</span>

Baltika Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Kaliningrad, Russia, that was home to FC Baltika Kaliningrad. The capacity of the stadium used to be 14,660 before the 2018 renovation, but is now reduced to 4,500.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schauspiel Frankfurt</span> Theatre company in Germany

The Schauspiel Frankfurt is the municipal theatre company for plays in Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany. It is part of Städtische Bühnen Frankfurt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berlin International Film Festival</span> Annual international film festival in Berlin, Germany

The Berlin International Film Festival, usually called the Berlinale, is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festival has been held every February since 1978 and is one of Europe's "Big Three" film festivals alongside the Venice Film Festival held in Italy and the Cannes Film Festival held in France. Furthermore, it is one of the "Big Five", the most prestigious film festivals in the world. The festival regularly draws tens of thousands of visitors each year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stadthaus Ulm</span>

The Stadthaus Ulm is in the centre of Ulm (Germany), located on the Münsterplatz. Primarily, the building is used to present exhibitions of photography and modern and contemporary art. A lecture hall is used for a variety of events, activities, and workshops, including a festival of modern music. It houses the city's tourist information centre and other public services on the ground floor. A permanent exhibition of the archaeology and history of the Münsterplatz is located on the lower level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theater Regensburg</span> Theatre and opera house in Regensburg, Germany

Theater Regensburg is a theatrical organization that produces operas, musicals, ballets, plays, and concerts in Regensburg, Germany. The organization operates several performance venues throughout the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Festhalle Viersen</span>

The Festhalle Viersen is a performance space in Viersen, a town located in the Lower Rhine region of Germany. It is well known for its theater and concert programme and is also the annual venue of the UMB World Three-cushion Championship of national teams as well as of the annual international Jazz Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haus Vaterland</span>

Haus Vaterland was a pleasure palace on the south-east side of Potsdamer Platz in central Berlin. Preceded by Haus Potsdam, a multi-use building including a large cinema and a huge café, from 1928 to 1943 it was a large, famous establishment including the largest cafe in the world, a major cinema, a large ballroom and numerous theme restaurants, promoted as a showcase of all nations. It was partially destroyed by fire in World War II, reopened in a limited form until 1953, and was finally demolished in 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanover-Mitte</span> Borough of Hanover in Lower Saxony, Germany

Mitte is the first borough of Hanover, the state capital of Lower Saxony. As of 2020, it has 36,645 inhabitants and consists of the quarters Mitte, Calenberger Neustadt, Oststadt and Zoo. The district mayor is Cornelia Kupsch (CDU).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ufa-Palast am Zoo</span> Former cinema in Charlottenburg, Berlin, Germany

The Ufa-Palast am Zoo, located near Berlin Zoological Garden in the New West area of Charlottenburg, was a major Berlin cinema owned by Universum Film AG, or Ufa. Opened in 1919 and enlarged in 1925, it was the largest cinema in Germany until 1929 and was one of the main locations of film premières in the country. The building was destroyed in November 1943 during the Bombing of Berlin in World War II and replaced in 1957 by the Zoo Palast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theater Rigiblick</span> Theatre in Zürich-Oberstrass, Switzerland

Theater Rigiblick or Theatersaal Rigiblick is a theatre in the German-speaking Switzerland situated in Zürich-Oberstrass. Built in 1901 as the restaurant Rigiblick, the theater houses mainly guest performances, focussed on the dance theater. The theatre as institution is owned by the government of the city of Zürich, and the building by the Zürcher Frauenverein (ZFV) cooperative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Städtische Bühnen Frankfurt</span> German municipal theatre company

Städtische Bühnen Frankfurt is the municipal theatre company of Frankfurt, the largest city of Hesse Germany. The name dates back to 1919. The company is structured today in two organisations, Oper Frankfurt for opera, and Schauspiel Frankfurt for drama (Schauspiel).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Musikalische Komödie</span> German theatre venue

The Musikalische Komödie is an operettas and musicals theatre in Leipzig. Its venue is located in the Lindenau district in the Haus Dreilinden, which is often referred to as the "Musical Comedy" itself. It is one of the three sections of the Oper Leipzig. However, it has its own ensemble with soloists, choir, ballet company and orchestra. Because of this and its own venue, it is perceived by the public as an independent cultural institution. Its repertoire ranges from Spieloper to operetta and musicals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theater am Aegi</span> German theatre

The Theater am Aegi is an event venue on Aegidientorplatz square in Hannover, the capital of Lower Saxony, Germany. Like the square, it is often referred to as Aegi. The building was opened in 1953 mainly as a cinema, with a versatile stage also for other performances. It has been a Gastspieltheater for local and touring companies, without its own personnel. After a fire, it was rebuilt as a theatre only, opened in 1967, and then mainly as a venue for drama performances of the state-run Staatstheater Hannover. After a new theatre was built for that company in 1992, Theater am Aegi returned to its traditional role of a venue for various events, including congress, private functions and representation of the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hebbel-Theater</span> German theatre

The Hebbel-Theater is a historic theatre building for plays in Berlin-Kreuzberg, Germany. It has been a venue of the company Hebbel am Ufer (HAU) from 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hans Otto Theatre</span> Theatre in Potsdam

The Hans Otto Theatre, named after the actor Hans Otto, is a municipal theatre in Potsdam in Germany. Its headquarters and main venue is in the Großes Haus am Tiefen See in Potsdam's cultural district on Schiffbauergasse. Other regular venues are the neighbouring historic Reithalle and occasionally the Palace Theatre in the Neues Palais.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regensburg subcamp</span> Subcamp of Flossenbürg concentration camp

The Regensburg satellite camp, also known as the Colosseum subcamp in the vernacular at the time, was established in 1945 as the last subcamp of the Flossenbürg concentration camp in the Regensburg inn the Kolosseum. The Regensburg subcamp was in operation from March 19, 1945, until April 23, 1945. The Colosseum building is located at Stadtamhof 5, approximately 200 meters north of the Danube across the Stone Bridge from the Altstadt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karl-Heine-Strasse</span> Street in Leipzig, Germany

Karl-Heine-Strasse is a radial road in the west of Leipzig marking the boundary between the current boroughs of Leipzig-Plagwitz and Leipzig-Lindenau . 2.01 km (1.2 mi) long, it is named after the industrialist Karl Heine.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Jens Friedrich, Florian Stetter und Wolfram Ney: Das Velodrom in Regensburg: seine Geschichte vom Variete-Theater zur Ruine Arbeit aus dem Denkmalwettbewerb 1995 der Stadt Regensburg. [available at: Universitätsbibliothek Regensburg, Sig. 00/NS 3105 F911]
  2. Susanne Hansch: Varieté-Tänzerinnen, Salon-Humoristen und Excentric-Radfahrer. Edition vulpes e.K. Regensburg (2000), ISBN   3-9807028-1-2.
  3. 1 2 3 Silvia Codreanu-Windauer, Lutz Dallmeier u. a. Das Velodrom; Die Geschichte eines Regensburger Gebäudes. Planungs- und Baureferat der Stadt Regensburg, Regensburg 2000.
  4. Karl Bauer: Regensburg Kunst- Kultur- und Alltagsgeschichte. 6. Auflage. MZ-Buchverlag in H. Gietl Verlag & Publikationsservice GmbH, Regenstauf 2014, ISBN   978-3-86646-300-4, S. 411 f.
  5. "Denkmalliste Regensburg (Stadt)" (PDF). Bayerisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege. 2018-11-17.
  6. Regensburg, Shorthand - Stadt. "Neu in Regensburg – der Simon-Oberdorfer-Platz". Shorthand. Retrieved 2018-11-11.
  7. "Velodrom". Theater Regensburg (in German). Retrieved 2018-11-11.