Georg Ludwig Friedrich Laves (17 December 1788 – 30 April 1864) was a German architect, civil engineer and urban planner. Born in Uslar,

Lower Saxony Lower Saxony is a States of Germany, German state (') in Northern Germany, northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with , and fourth-largest in population (8 million in 2021) among the 16 ' of the Germany, Federal Re ...

, he lived and worked primarily in the city of

Hanover Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...

and also died there. He was appointed Oberhofbaudirektor, "court master builder", in 1852. As the leading architect of the

Kingdom of Hanover The Kingdom of Hanover () was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Hanover, and j ...

for a career spanning 50 years, he had great influence on the urban development of this city. Alongside

Karl Friedrich Schinkel Karl Friedrich Schinkel (13 March 1781 – 9 October 1841) was a Prussian architect, urban planning, city planner and painter who also designed furniture and stage sets. Schinkel was one of the most prominent architects of Germany and designed b ...

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

and

Leo von Klenze Leo von Klenze (born Franz Karl Leopold von Klenze; 29 February 1784 – 26 January 1864) was a German architect and painter. He was the court architect of Ludwig I of Bavaria. Von Klenze was a devotee of Neoclassicism and one of the mo ...

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

, Laves was one of the most accomplished

neoclassical style Neoclassicism, also spelled Neo-classicism, emerged as a Western cultural movement in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that drew inspiration from the art and culture of classical antiquity. Neoclassici ...

architects of Germany. As an engineer he developed a special iron truss lenticular or "fishbelly" beam bridge construction method, the so-called "Lavesbrücke". Laves found his final resting place in the Engesohde Cemetery (Engesohder Friedhof) in Hanover. Among his most important works are: * Full reconstruction of the Leineschloss ( Leine Palace or Leine Castle), between 1816 and 1844 (severely damaged in World War II and again re-built by Dieter Oesterlen between 1957 and 1962). * Hanover Opera House, home of the Staatsoper Hannover, built between 1845 and 1852 (severely damaged in World War II and re-built in 1948). * Wangenheim palace for Count Georg von Wangenheim, built between 1829 and 1832. * The facade of Herrenhausen Palace (Schloss Herrenhausen) in neoclassical style, about 1820/21 (destroyed in World War II and rebuilt in 2013). * The Palmenhaus ("Palm-house"), a conservatory in the Berggarten built between 1846 and 1849 (destroyed in World War II). The building housed the most extensive and valuable collection of palms in Europe. * The mausoleum for King

Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover Ernest Augustus (; 5 June 177118 November 1851) was King of Hanover from 20 June 1837 until his death in 1851. As the fifth son of George III of the United Kingdom and Hanover, he initially seemed unlikely to become a monarch, but none of his e ...

, and his consort Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in the garden of the Chapel at Schloss Herrenhausen (the mausoleum today is situated in the Berggarten, part of the

Herrenhausen Gardens The Herrenhausen Gardens (, ) of Herrenhausen Palace are located in Herrenhausen, an urban district of Hanover, the capital of Lower Saxony, Germany. Dating to the era of the King of Hanover, Kings of Hanover, they comprise Great Garden (), Ber ...

), built between 1842 and 1847. * Waterloo Square with Waterloo Column, built between 1826 and 1832. * Some structures designed or remodeled in the landscape garden around the Derneburg Castle near Hildesheim, owned by Count Ernst zu Münster

Gallery

Image:Waterloosäule sst.jpg, Waterloo Column on Waterloo Square, Hanover Image:Hannover Opernhaus abends.jpg, Hanover Opera House Image:Hannover Leineschloss.jpg, Leine Palace, Hanover Image:Wangenheim Palais.jpg, Wangenheim Palace, Hanover Image:Laves Haus.jpg, The Laveshaus, the Hanover building where Laves resided Image:Georgengarten Wilhelm Busch Museum.jpg, Candelabra in front of the Wilhelm-Busch-Museum in the Georgengarten, Hanover Image:Derneburg-Pyramide.01.JPG, The mausoleum at Derneburg Castle Image:Derneburg Lavesbrücke.jpg, The "Laves bridge" at Derneburg Castle (reconstructed)

General references

* * * * * 1788 births 1864 deaths 19th-century German architects People from Uslar German neoclassical architects Architects from Hanover {{Germany-architect-stub