Baedekerhaus/Blumhaus

The building was designed by Ernst Bode and built in the 1920s. Due to its homogeneous façade made from shelly limestone blocks, the exterior design is reminiscent of Italian Renaissance palace architecture. The Baedeker book store, founded in 1775, published Essen’s first newspaper and also publishes the travel guides of the same name. The four sculptures by J. Enseling on the façade represent science, trade, work and art. Next door in Blumhaus, businessman Gustav Blum opened the then biggest clothing department store in Germany with 600 employees; it had to be sold in 1938 under the Nazi regime’s expropriation policy. Opposite these buildings is Burgplatz, which is one of the oldest parts of the city centre and was designed by Ernst Bode.