Holzer Kobler Architekturen GmbH

Arche Nebra

Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter

ARCHE NEBRA

Holzer Kobler Architekturen

PHOTOGRAPHS
Jan Bitter

YEAR
2007

CATEGORY
Visitor Center

LOCATION
Nebra, Germany

Text description provided by architect.

In 1999, unlicensed treasure hunters unearthed a remarkable archaeological relic: a 3,600-year-old sky disc made of bronze inlaid with gold.

Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter
Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter

It depicts complex constellations and the symbol of the solar barge representing the sun’s nightly passage from west to east.

An architectural competition was launched to design a public archaeological centre and an observation tower that would showcase the disc and come to symbolize the region.

We chose the symbol of the solar barge for the construction of the centre. Visible from far away, the body of the building is covered with yellow anodized aluminium and appears to float above the glass-encased entry level, in which the admission desk and café are located. The 60-metre-long abstracted ship houses two exhibition rooms and the planetarium.

Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter
Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter
Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter

The open vertical atrium connecting the ground floor to the first floor symbolizes the relationship to the heavens.

The rough plastered base housing the seminar rooms and offices appears to emerge from the hillside.

The permanent exhibition explores the site of the discovery and the historical environment, while the immense picture window surrounding it presents visitors with a vista of the Mittelberg mountain and the observation tower.

Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter
Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter
Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter

The panoramic window of the temporary exhibition space offers a view of the Unstrut river.

The exact site where the disc was discovered is marked by a 30-metre-high conical tower, creating a landmark that can be seen from far around.

Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter
Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter

Widening towards the top, inclined 10 degrees to the north and divided by a vertical crevice extending over its full height to mark the summer solstice, it replicates the function of the sky disc as a solar calendar.

Once a day the sun passes through the vertical opening, indicating the line of sight towards the Brocken mountain some 80 kilometres away, just as the Brocken served as a reference point for the sky disc in the Bronze Age.

Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter


Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter
Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter
Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter
Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter


Arche Nebra
Plan 01
Arche Nebra
Plan 02
Arche Nebra
Plan 03
Arche Nebra
Plan 04
Arche Nebra
Site plan
Arche Nebra
© Jan Bitter


Arche Nebra
Section 01
Arche Nebra
Section 02
Arche Nebra
west elevation

Holzer Kobler Architekturen GmbH
T +49 30 24628170 F +49 30 246281729
Holzer Kobler Architekturen GmbH
Lindower Str. 19, 13347 Berlin, Germany