Adolf Bötticher facts for kids

Adolf Bötticher (born December 12, 1842 – died June 9, 1901) was a German expert who studied and protected old art and buildings. He was known as an art historian and a conservator.

Bötticher was born in Blumberg, a town in Brandenburg, Germany. He studied architecture at the Bauakademie in Berlin from 1865 to 1868. Later, he worked on archaeological digs in Greece between 1875 and 1877. After this, he started a weekly newspaper for people who designed buildings and machines. It was called Wochenblatt für Architekten und Ingenieure.

A drawing of the Pelasgic wall from Adolf Bötticher's book Die Akropolis von Athen (1888).

Adolf Bötticher's Work in East Prussia

In 1886, Adolf Bötticher became the head of a special office. This office kept records of important old buildings and art in a region called East Prussia. His job was to make sure these historical treasures were known and protected.

Becoming a Conservator

By 1891, Bötticher was named the official conservator for East Prussia. This meant he was responsible for preserving and looking after all the historical buildings and art in that entire area. He worked hard to document and protect these important parts of history. He passed away in Warnicken in 1901.

Books by Adolf Bötticher

Adolf Bötticher wrote many important books about art and history. His most famous work was a huge series of books called Die Bau und Kunstdenkmäler der Provinz Ostpreussen. This title means "The Architectural and Art Monuments of the Province of East Prussia."

Documenting East Prussia

• This series had eight volumes, published from 1891 to 1898.
• It carefully described and documented all the important buildings and artworks in East Prussia.
• A ninth volume was added in 1899 by Walther von Schimmelfennig.
• These books are still very important for understanding the history of that region.

Other Noted Works

Bötticher also wrote other interesting books based on his travels and research:

• Auf griechischen Landstrassen, published in 1883. This book was about his experiences traveling on country roads in Greece.
• Olympia, das fest und seine stätte, published in 1886. This book explored the ancient site of Olympia, Greece. It talked about the famous Olympic games and the place where they were held. He used old stories and new findings from German excavations.
• Die Akropolis von Athen, published in 1888. This book focused on the famous Acropolis in Athens, Greece. He wrote about it using old reports and the newest discoveries from his time.