City
Hanover sights 2
By
Oct 4, 2005, 18:04

Hanover's Leineschloss		The Leine Castle or Palace dates back to a Franciscan monastery that was built on the site in the 12th century.  This was dissolved after the Reformation of 1533, and after the Duke of Calenberg had made Hanover his official residence in 1636, the north-west wing was updated in 1742. Further changes followed, with the prominent architect Georg Ludwig Friedrich Laves completely converting the building between 1816 and 1844.
Later the Corinthian colonnade was added to the Leine Strasse side, while the three-tier appearance and mansard roof on the riverside is more baroque in style. Gutted in the War The building was fully gutted during an air raid in 1943.  When it was restored in 1957-62, a modern plenary hall was added to replace one of the fully ruined wings.  The		Facing the River Leine
building now serves as the official seat of the regional government of Lower Saxony.  Location of the Leineschloss.
Hanover's Opera House		The Opera House was built from 1845 to 1852 in the late classical style.  The architect was once again Laves.  The first opera  (Mozart's Marriage of Figaro) was staged on 5th September 1852.  Since 1921, it has been a city-run institution.  In 1943, the Opera House was almost totally destroyed in an air raid.  After the War it was restored to its historic condition, with the first post-war performance staged in 1950.
Further modernisation took place in 1984/85. The  front of the building used to be open, allowing the coaches to pull up and the city's gentry to enter the Opera House without getting wet.  This function has since been taken over by an underground car park.  Opera House location.

The World Cup in Germany.com - For fans, by fans