Square of Peoples' Friendship Erfurt

A home for pigeons in houses that seem to be waiting to be demolished. Things turn out differently. The high-rise buildings are inhabited by people again. And investments are also being made in other corners. The fountain on the south side will be completely redesigned in 2019. From a purely external point of view, the building has so far survived well into the new era, as a photograph from 2016 shows:

But the technology inside is simply gone after 40 years. The friendship between peoples is also emphasized again with the renovation: Erfurt's twin cities can be found around the fountain, which now consists of several fountains.

Tidy and modern

But what makes the square special is the monumental mural by the Erfurt artist Erich Enge. This winds around the former residential area center over a length of 106 meters. The somewhat unwieldy title “The idea becomes material violence when it seizes the masses” refers to the hope for a better world associated with the October Revolution of 1917. The construction of socialism as a path of love.

Of course, the painting is in the context of the raison d'état of the time. But even if this has changed, it is worth taking a closer look at what the artist, who died at the end of 2023, left us.

With a food market and the shops of the Vilnius Passage, the square also has the shopping opportunities necessary for a city center. The renovated part of the square appears tidy and modern.

However, the last few years have shown that the center of the Rieth district has potential. Private and public investments have enhanced the place of international friendship. A development that will hopefully continue.