Elias Holl facts for kids
Elias Holl (born February 28, 1573, in Augsburg; died January 6, 1646, in Augsburg) was a very important architect in Germany. He is known for his work during the late Renaissance period.
Life of Elias Holl
Elias Holl was born in the city of Augsburg. His family had many master builders, and his father, Hans Holl, taught him the trade. In 1596, Elias passed his final exam to become a master builder. This exam is called the Meisterprüfung in German.
Between 1600 and 1601, he traveled to Tyrol and Italy. He visited cities like Bozen and Venice. These trips helped him learn new ideas about architecture.
In 1602, he became the Werkmeister (master builder) for the city of Augsburg. Later, he became the Stadtbaumeister (city architect). However, in 1629, he lost this important job. This happened because he was a Protestant, and at that time, there were conflicts related to religion. After this, he was only called Stadtgeometer (city surveyor). He was fully dismissed from his duties in 1631. Elias Holl is buried in the Protestant Cemetery in Augsburg.
Famous Buildings by Elias Holl
Elias Holl designed and built many important buildings in Augsburg. His most famous work is the Augsburg Town Hall. This building is a landmark of the city.
Other buildings he designed in Augsburg include:
- The Zeughaus (an arsenal), built between 1602 and 1607.
- The Wertachbrucker Tor (a city gate), completed in 1605.
- The Stadtmetzg (a public butcher's hall), built in 1609.
- The St.-Anna-Gymnasium (a school), built in 1613.
- An addition to the Perlachturm (a tall tower), which he worked on from 1614 to 1616.
- The Heilig-Geist-Spital (a hospital), built between 1626 and 1631. This building now houses the famous Augsburger Puppenkiste puppet theater.
