After several years of extensive renovations, Leibniz University Hannover (LUH) and the TIB – Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology and University Library have celebrated the reopening of the Marstall Building at the Welfengarten campus. University president Prof. Dr. Volker Epping and Prof. Dr. Sören Auer, director of the TIB, welcomed a large number of guests at the historical reading room. Prof. Dr. Tina Cornelius-Krügel from the Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony and Dipl.-Ing. Sandra Wagener of RÖMETH BDA, WAGENER Architects gave the opening remarks. Prof. Dr. Markus Jager of the Faculty of Architecture and Landscape Sciences provided an overview of the architectural history.
The building, which has been used since 1986 for library-related purposes, has been under renovation since 2021. The vaulted ceiling of the historical reading room has been restored, the ceiling construction has been updated and the building has been made as accessible as possible. Additionally, the workspaces in the reading room have been modernised and expanded to create more study areas for students. The building now also offers space for academic and research-related events. The nave has been restored to its original function as the central room. The bookshelves and the reception desk, as well as service boxes and meeting tables, have been placed in the aisles along the sides.
The building is listed as a historical monument and is located in the direct vicinity of the Welfenschloss, the main university building. It was built in the 1860s for the king of Hannover’s horses and coaches. It initially served as stables for the Prussian army, until it was transferred to the then Technical University in 1909 for use as part of its expansion. Following the demolition of the rear portions of the building to make way for new buildings, the Professorship for Motor Vehicles and the cafeteria were housed in the existing rooms. After the cafeteria wing was demolished in 1960 to make room for the nearby university library, the remaining section fell into disrepair. Since 1982, the Marstall Building has gradually been restored and made accessible for library services; a reading room and the TIB management are located in the building.
During the opening celebration, researchers from TIB and LUH gave presentations outlining how research and libraries go hand in hand – for example, in the areas of artificial intelligence or machine learning. Detailed information about the history of the building was also provided. The name Marstall is derived from the Old High German word “marahstal”, which is a compound of “marah” for horse and “stal” for stall. It refers to what were usually impressively constructed stables at castles and manors.
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For further information, please contact Mechtild Freiin v. Münchhausen, head of Communications and Marketing and spokesperson for Leibniz University Hannover (tel. +49 511 762 5342, email: kommunikation@uni-hannover.de) or Dr. Sandra Niemeyer, press representative for the TIB (tel. +49 511 762 2772, email: sandra.niemeyer@tib.eu).
