Germany

Commemorative coin

2015

Hesse " St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt am Main "

(Part of the National series " Lander’-series I ")

Official Journal of the European Union

The design depicts a classic perspective on St. Paul’s Church in Frankfurt (the ‘Paulskirche’ was the seat of Germany’s first freely elected legislative body in 1849 and is regarded as the cradle of German democracy) and is therefore the perspective possessing the greatest recognition value. The design incisively brings out the tension between the dominant tower and the elliptical structure of the church. The slightly exaggerated flight of steps has an inviting quality while simultaneously offering support to the subjacent inscription ‘HESSEN’ (the Federal State of Hessen in which St. Paul’s Church is situated).The inner part also features the year ‘2015’ and the mint mark of the respective mint (‘A’, ‘D’, ‘F’, ‘G’ or ‘J’) at the left side as well as the issuing country’s indication ‘D’ and the engraver’s mark (the initials ‘HH’ — Heinz Hoyer) at the right side. The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

Additional information

The southern view of the Paulskirche in Frankfurt is depicted on the occasion of the Hessian presidency of the Bundesrat. Frankfurt's main Protestant church, built between 1789 and 1833, is a classicist rotunda designed by the architect Johann Friedrich Christian Hess. From 1848 to 1849 it was the meeting place for delegates to the Frankfurt National Assembly, the first freely elected German parliament. On 18 March 1944, the Paulskirche burnt down after one of the air raids on Frankfurt am Main. After the Second World War, it was rebuilt as Frankfurt's first historic building and reopened as the House of All Germans on the centenary of the National Assembly on 18 May 1948. Since then it has been a national monument and is used for exhibitions and public events.

Edge lettering

Designer