Annual Honor for Historical Site Conservation: Monument Prize 2025 Announcement

In the heart of Gießen, the University City of Germany, the Monument Prize was awarded for the fifth time on July 3, 2025, during a city council meeting. This year, the jury determined two prize winners: a former barn from the 18th century in Wieseck and the former airport reception building in the northern part of Gießen.

The timber-framed barn at Rabenaustraße 39 in Wieseeck, built in the 18th century, was carefully restored and converted into residential spaces. The owner of the barn carried out the interior work with great dedication and attention to detail, ensuring the historic barn construction remained visible during the conversion. The harmonious appearance of the restored barn enhances the streetscape, serving as a testament to the owner's commitment to preserving historical buildings.

Meanwhile, in the northern part of Gießen, the former reception building of the Giessen Civil Airport, built in 1927, was revived as a place of encounter. Daniel Beitch from Giessen Revicon GmbH led the restoration, focusing on preserving the original substance and restoring the contemporary design as found. Traditional building materials and appropriate window shutters were used in the renovation, ensuring the building's authenticity.

Both prize winners have uncovered and appropriately restored the historical building substance after neglect or later changes that did not respect the substance. The comprehensive restoration of the barn ensures the long-term preservation of the historic monument, while the former airport reception building serves as a symbol of the city's aviation history.

The jury for the prize consists of members of the Monument Council, employees of the Lower Monument Protection Authority Gießen, and the Hessian State Office for Monument Preservation. The prize is given to monument owners who have exemplary preserved and maintained cultural monuments with great effort. The prize consists of a bronze plaque attached to the cultural monument, with no cash prize associated with it.

The renovation measures of the prize winners were presented during the award ceremony in a visual documentation. As models for other building owners or owners of historical buildings in their respective areas, the prize winners demonstrate the importance of preserving and restoring cultural monuments for future generations. However, despite extensive research, the identities of the two recipients of the Monument Prize 2025 in Gießen have not been found in the provided search results.