Biography

German architect, a descendant of an old Norwegian family of clergy, who were known in the 17th century for publishing evangelical songbooks.

In 1800, Moller began studying architecture with Christian Ludwig Witte in Hannover. Here he was introduced to Friedrich Weinbrenner whom he followed to Karlsruhe in 1802, to continue studies at a school for building trades. During the years 1807-09 Moller took a study trip to Rome where he gained crucial insight from members of the Roman colony of German artists. After finishing this journey he became a construction superintendent in 1810 and was hired as court master builder of the Grand Duchy of Hesse.

Between his major works in this function are Ludwigskirche, the first Roman Catholic church building in Darmstadt since the Reformation - a building whose forms were inspired by the Pantheon in Rome - the former Landestheater, the Luisenplatz and the Masonic Lodge, what today is the "Moller-Haus". Furthermore, he designed the Staatstheater Mainz, which created some stir because of its half-round façade and the Stadtschloss Wiesbaden of the Dukes of Nassau, today the seat of the Landtag of Hesse. In 1843-47 Moller was commissioned by Grand-Duke Ludwig II. to overview the restoration of Schloss Biedenkopf.

Only two of Georg Moller's major works survived World War II without damages: the grand-ducal mausoleum at the Rosenhöhe and the Ludwigsäule on the Luisenplatz, both in Darmstadt. The other buildings Moller designed were damaged beyond repair or were reconstructed in a more simple design.

Moller also did the reconstruction of the castles in Bad Homburg and Meisenheimer, the latter called Wolfgangsbau, for the Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg. He also worked for prince Klemens von Metternich when he redesigned his Schloss Johannisberg. He worked in Hannover as well.

Moller is considered, along with Karl Friedrich Schinkel and Leo von Klenze, as one of the most important German architects working in the Greek Revival and Romanticist styles. His inventiveness as an engineer and as a composer of space is most visible in the Ludwigskirche in Darmstadt.

Aside his work as an architect Moller was successful as a preserver of buildings. He also played an important role for the completion of Cologne Cathedral. It was he who discovered one half of the original (4.04 m) façade drawing by cathedral master builder Arnold (active 1295-1301) in an attic near Darmstadt, while the other half was found by Sulpiz Boisserée (1783-1854) in Paris in 1816. The uncompleted cathedral was completed in accordance with these designs.