Colombi Castle

The Colombischlössle is a mansion in the city center of Freiburg im Breisgau, which houses the archaeological museum of the same name.

The Colombischlössle was built from 1859 to 1861 on the grounds of the former Bastion Saint Louis of the Freiburg city fortifications, which had been filled up by 15 meters and converted into a garden. The client was Countess Maria Antonia Gertrudis von Zea Bermudez y Colombi, who had the building constructed as her widow's residence. The plans were designed by the Freiburg architect Georg Jakob Schneider, who chose the Gothic Tudor style of the English Middle Ages as a model for his historicist villa. Schneider was inspired by his teacher Friedrich Eisenlohr, who had already had him rebuild Ortenberg Castle in this style. The costs amounted to approximately 300,000 Goldmark, 750 Goldmark per square meter of built-up area. The historic staircase, the original inlaid parquet floors, and a bright glass dome still illustrate the former wealth of the builder, Countess Maria Antonia Gertrudis de Colombi y de Bode (1809–1863).

Johann Georg Thoma, a manufacturer from Todtnau, acquired the property from the heirs and converted part of it into building land. At that time, Colombistraße and Rosastraße, named after his wife, were created there. In 1899, the city of Freiburg acquired the building; from 1909 to 1923, it served as a municipal art museum, later as an administrative building. In addition, the Landesverein Badische Heimat maintained an office here, as its secretary, Max Wingenroth (1872–1922), was the director of the Municipal Collections. From 1947 to 1952, the Colombischlössle was the seat of the State Chancellery, the state government of the federal state of Baden under Leo Wohleb. Since a renovation in 1983, the Archaeological Museum Colombischlössle (then under the name Museum for Prehistory and Early History) has been housed in the Colombischlössle.

Since 2003, the Colombischlössle and the park have been designated as cultural monuments. From May [outdated] to September 2014, the museum will be closed for renovation work, during which the historic glass roof will be re-sealed and the walls on the ground floor will be freshly painted.