Sculpture Mile, Sculpture trail in Mitte, Germany.
Sculpture Mile is a sculpture trail of eight oversized works placed between 1986 and 2000 along Brühlstraße and Leibnizufer, mostly on the grassy central island of the six-lane road. It runs about 1,200 metres from Königsworther Platz to the Niedersächsischer Landtag. The pieces include Niki de Saint Phalle's three Nanas, Erich Hauser's Stahlengel and Kenneth Snelson's Avenue K 1968–1970.
The sculpture mile grew out of Hannover's street-art programme, launched in 1970 under city director Martin Neuffer and funded by the city council from 1970 to 1973. Its first landmark was the 1974 purchase of Niki de Saint Phalle's three Nanas for 150,000 DM on the Leibnizufer. In 1986 the gallery owner Robert Simon placed two steel sculptures along the same street, and the route was completed in 2000 with eight works.
The route grew out of Hannover's 1970 street-art programme, launched under city director Martin Neuffer at the first Altstadtfest. Its best-known works are Niki de Saint Phalle's three Nanas, bought in 1974 for 150,000 DM. Since 2013 stainless-steel plaques identify the sculptures, and the city publishes flyers listing public art made after 1945.
The route extends freely through multiple streets and is accessible year-round in any weather. Visitors can explore it at their own pace without needing any special arrangements.
Seven of the eight sculptures belong to the city of Hannover; only John Raymond Henry's "Symphony in Red" (2000) at Königsworther Platz is a loan, held by the Lottostiftung. In 2013 the city added stainless-steel information plaques to 60 sculptures and objects in public space and published a series of flyers listing post-1945 art.
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