With his sword drawn and his head held high, Hermann looks out over the vast landscape. As a popular excursion destination, he attracts thousands of tourists to the Grotenburg castle near Detmold every year. The Hermann monument commemorates the battle in the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD and was completed in 1875 by Ernst von Bandel. With a figure height of 26.57 meters and a total height of 53.56 meters, it is the tallest statue in Germany. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Germany and throughout Europe. More than 500,000 visitors come to see the Hermann Monument up close every year.
The monument commemorates the Cheruscan prince Arminius, in particular the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. Under the leadership of Arminius, the Germanic tribes defeated the Roman legions under Publius Quinctilius Varus in 9 AD. The battle marked the end of the Roman campaigns to conquer northern and north-western Germany. As a result of the battle, Arminius succeeded in uniting the Germanic tribes. For this reason, he was stylized as one of the symbolic figures of the national unification movement at the beginning of the 19th century. Ernst von Bandel (1800-1876) was a supporter of this movement and, as an architect and sculptor, dedicated his entire life to the idea of creating a universally valid national symbol in the form of a monument. He realized this idea with the Hermann monument. At the beginning of the 16th century, "Arminius" had become "Hermann" - on the assumption that Arminius was a Latin derivation of the Germanic "Heermann - man of the army". Ernst von Bandel began building the monument on the hill he had chosen, the Grotenburg, in 1838. It was not until 37 years later, in the summer of 1875, that the monument was inaugurated by Kaiser Wilhelm I. The artist lived in a simple log cabin during the final years of the construction work. A replica of the hut can still be seen on the site today. Today, the Hermannsdenkmal is the region's landmark with which the people of Lippe identify.
Offers around the Hermann
After climbing a spiral staircase, visitors can enjoy a 360-degree view of Lippe from the monument's platform. Public guided tours offer the opportunity to learn more about the history. The Bandelhütte invites visitors to learn more about the history of the monument and the life of its builder, Ernst von Bandel. Information about the Hermannsdenkmal, the region and tourist offers can be obtained from the tourist information office in the "WALK" hiking competence center. From June to August, the forest stage at the Hermann Monument offers a variety of cultural events, including the popular Moonlight Cinema. The Teuto climbing park and the "Gastronomie am Hermannsdenkmal" restaurant with a large beer garden round off the family-friendly offer. Since fall 2017, the Monument Foundation and the city of Detmold have been offering wedding ceremonies at the Hermann Monument.
