Creatures Great and SmallCreatures Great and Small

A “palace of justice” would be a more fitting description  for the magnificent building from the Wilhelminian era,  built between 1901 and 1905 on the eastern perimeter of  the historic city center. Consisting of four wings and a central  staircase with a high, arched cupola hall, the building  employs the architectonic vocabulary of the late gothic  and early renaissance period and is as representational  (and repressive?) as its famous counterpart in Berlin, built  at the same time. Remarkably, the building still fulfills its  function perfectly, with separate spaces for judges’ offices,  courtrooms, and administration that adequately meet modern-  day requirements. Indeed, the heights of the rooms and  the size of the circulation areas exceed current standards  and are regarded as being especially spacious and well proportioned.  Its majestic character is rounded off by pictorial  representations, floral decor, city arms, allegories, and  portraits of past judges, animals, and mythical creatures, as  well as the opulent use of color inside and out.  The renovation works planned by the architects were  therefore not about adapting the building to new uses but  primarily about restoring the building to its former glory.  The external render was renewed and the color scheme  reconstructed. In the interior, the opulent staircase with its  elaborate rib-vaulted dome and the surrounding hallways  and courtrooms were restored to their original historical  condition and glorious color scheme. The timber paneling  and lead glazing were restored, and all the different portal  frames, door leaves with painted fabric panels, painted ironwork,  and door ironmongery were reinstated to their original  condition with the help of restorers.  With great care and regard for the historical decorations  and imagery, the architects introduced glazed fire doors,  sanitary facilities, and interior fittings and furnishings, as  well as lighting elements, along with communication and  security technology in order to ensure that Justitia’s fairytale  castle continues to serve its function in the future.