Biography

German architect. He studied in Breslau and Berlin, and worked at the latter place under Karl Friedrich Schinkel. From 1833 he was the leading architect of the cathedral at Cologne which was to be completed. At Cologne, he was next to Vincenz Statz (1819-1898) the most important practical representative of Gothic architecture. From the time it was recognized that the completion of the great cathedral at Cologne was the task which would bring the highest honour to the Gothic style, so Schinkel's school was drawn on to carry out the work. Zwirner was called to Cologne for this task.

After the work of restoration was finished, Zwirner presented his plans for the completion of the structure in 1841 to King Frederick William IV. Upon the approval of the plans the work began the next year, and it was completed by Zwirner's able successor, Karl Eduard Richard Voigtel (1829-1902).

What he had learned from his work on the cathedral of Cologne, Zwirner used in designs of his own with the same fine skill and energy. His best building is probably the church of St. Apollinaris at Remagen. He also built a church at Mülheim on the Rhine, and one at Elberfeld. He restored the castle of Argenfels on the Rhine, built the castle of Herdringen in the style of the ancient fortress castles on the Rhine for Count von Furstenberg, and also the Moyland Castle near Kleve. His last work was the magnificent, 1861 Moorish Revival Glockengasse Synagogue at Cologne.