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Printing Shop

House 52-53

The collage shows four views of the printing shop building from the east before, during and at the end of the renovation work.
Markus Scholz

In 1710, August Hermann Francke founded the world's first Bible Institute together with his friend and supporter Carl Hildebrand von Canstein (1667–1719). In 1743, a warehouse was built to store the numerous printed Bibles. Shortly afterwards, this building was converted into a print shop and remained in use until 2010. It is one of the functional and utility buildings that line the Black Road on the south side and was one of the last unrenovated historic buildings in the core ensemble.

Ansicht eines Gemäldedepots
Markus Scholz

Space for magazines

At the beginning of the 20th century, a wing with large machine rooms was added to the building. Here we have now installed modern rolling shelving as additional magazine for our cultural-historical archive and library holdings, as well as storage areas for our custody. The Francke Foundations' publishing magazine is located in the basement.

View of the worn wooden steps of the rear staircase in the printing works building.
Markus Scholz

Eyewitnesses

The staircase in the east side of the building from 1743 could be preserved thanks to the careful renovation. The well-worn steps reflect the everyday life of the many people in the building. Up and down the stairs were carried the materials of the printer's trade with vast quantities of paper and finished, elaborately produced printed matter. Later, the residents of the building and, most recently, music students used the staircase.  

Matthias Dressler

New life in the building

The LeoLab, which was created in the course of the renovation, is a space for cultural education and outreach. Workshops are held here, events with young people are held, and content from the foundations' cultural offerings is further explored in creative formats.

Markus Scholz

Space for New Impulses

Mit dem Neubauer-Saal, benannt nach dem engsten Mitarbeiter Franckes Georg Heinrich Neubauer (1666–1725), wurde ein großzügig geschnittener, lichtdurchfluteter Veranstaltungsraum geschaffen. Hier werden Veranstaltungen mit Kooperationspartner:innen durchgeführt und es finden regelmäßig wissenschaftliche Vorträge, Kolloquien und Sitzungen statt. 

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