Memorial August Neidhardt von Gneisenau, Bronze memorial in Bebelplatz, Berlin-Mitte, Germany.
The Gneisenau Memorial is a 2.72-metre bronze statue by Christian Daniel Rauch on the green space of Bebelplatz. Gneisenau wears a contemporary uniform, his head turned to the right; his left hand holds a sabre and his right hand points forward. Bronze reliefs on the granite base show Victoria with a laurel wreath and inscription at the front and the Gneisenau coat of arms at the back.
Designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel and cast by the French bronze founder Claude François Lequine, the statue was made by Christian Daniel Rauch between 1840 and 1855 and set up on Unter den Linden opposite the Neue Wache, flanking the Blücher memorial with the Yorck statue. In late May 1950 the SED had it removed and stored on the Museumsinsel. Restoration began in 1953, stalled in 1954 and resumed in 1962; the statue was re-erected on Bebelplatz in 1963, with its inscription shortened to "GNEISENAU" and its base reduced from 3.83 to 2.83 metres.
The figure stands in a place that is actively used by the public and shows how Berliners engage with their military past. You can observe how different generations perceive the site as part of their city.
The memorial stands on a busy public square, easy to reach and with plenty of space to walk around. You can visit it anytime without charge since it is an outdoor artwork.
The base was designed according to plans by the renowned architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel, which elevates the statue beyond a simple monument. This collaboration between sculptor and architect is an often overlooked aspect of the overall artwork.
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