Landeshaus

From the Imperial Naval Academy to the Parliament Building: An eventful history.

Hardly any other building in Schleswig-Holstein's recent history has undergone such a profound change in the course of its existence as the Landeshaus. The imposing brick building on the Kiel Fjord was opened on 6 October 1888 as the seat of the Imperial Naval Academy - then also known as the Prussian "Naval Castle" - in the so-called Three-Emperor Year, when three emperors ruled the young German Empire in a short period of time. Until 1910, the officers of the Imperial Navy were trained here.
The destructive Second World War was also closely linked to the Navy. Under the Hitler regime, the building served as the headquarters of the Naval Command Baltic Sea - until 1945 everything lay in ruins: the heavily destroyed "House on the Fjord" and democracy.
Glass extension symbolizes transparency
As a clearly visible symbol of transparent democracy, but also as a reminder of the history of the house shaped by the navy, the glass plenary hall has been towering towards the Kiel Fjord since 2003. The restored Landeshaus was officially handed over to the then President of the Landtag, Heinz-Werner Arens, on 11 June 2004. "Everything is as we imagined it to be - Schleswig-Holstein has an attractive new plenary hall as well as modern and functional working and event rooms," said Arens at the time with a proud view of the former "Prussian Naval Castle", the seat of the Schleswig-Holstein state parliament.

Text: Landeshaus