The Fruchthalle Municipal Gallery introduces itself

The building, which was converted into the Fruchthalle municipal gallery, was inaugurated in 1993 and has been Rastatt's art museum ever since. The fruit and flour hall of the former federal fortress of Rastatt, built in 1854, was used as a town hall until the BadnerHalle was built in 1989. The Fruchthalle municipal gallery in Rastatt regularly hosts changing solo and group exhibitions.

The focus is on contemporary art and art historical works after 1945. Works from the museum's own collection are also an integral part of the program. These are juxtaposed with young, up-and-coming positions in contemporary art. The "Rampe Fruchthalle" format offers young artists and students the opportunity to present their works to a wider public.

Yesterday and today: "Fruity windows" and Musenkopf

The well-known Karlsruhe architect Helmut Bätzner was commissioned to convert the building into an exhibition hall and museum, and from 1990 onwards he transformed the striking building into a gallery and cafeteria. The listed building was given a belt of 19 majolica round window panels in bright "fruit colors" as a sign of its old and new use in the exterior area through a careful "art on the building" design. Above the entrance, there is also a bronze head created by Jürgen Goertz depicting a muse of the fine arts.

Postmodern basilica

The interior of the gallery was divided into several levels, which have a total exhibition area of 500 square meters and are connected by a spacious ramp and stairs. Helmut Bätzner subdivided the first floor and provided each level with a modern light ceiling. He created views between the floors and thus an architecture that constantly opens up new visual axes.

Light and steel

The lower storey is laid out in an expansive manner and refers to the basic shape of a basilica, suggesting both a cruciform structure and clerestory windows. This sacred impression is reinforced by the ceiling arches. The steel girders are an equally important element, developing an almost sculptural quality and merging the different architectural features into a postmodern mix of styles.