Community Centre

Denkmal

The semi-detached building at Oberstrasse 17–19 was built in 1787 as a private residence for Peter Joseph Nepes, the Imperial Postmaster, who had previously constructed the adjoining post office (Oberstrasse 15) in 1778.

The three-storey residential building, which has two entrances and a central gateway, was designed by the town architect, Kaspar Hermkes (1740–1809).

As assistant to the postmaster, Hermkes supervised construction of the building next door, before the architect Michael Leydel invited him to work at his office in Krefeld. In 1781, Hermkes returned to Neuss, where he distinguished himself by his excellence as an architect and in his own reform projects. After construction of the residential buildings on Oberstrasse, Hermkes was commissioned to undertake a classical modernisation of the old town hall at the marketplace (1789–1794).

In 1976, the semi-detached building at Oberstrasse 17–19 underwent a demolition of the façade and the ancient vaulted cellar (today: the Kulturkeller). Since that time, the new building has been home to the municipal cultural office and other cultural institutions.

Sources and texts: Neuss municipal archives
Graphic design: Cornelius Uerlichs
Translation: A.C.T. Fachübersetzungen GmbH