Already in 1858, there was an initial barracks area on Ostorfer Berg. The New Artillery Barracks were intended to expand this complex in 1900. The Officers' Mess marks the representative center, directly opposite the Grand Duke's Palace and government seat. The entire complex is surrounded by a wrought-iron gate and fence, partly adorned with floral elements - more picturesque than military.
From 1897 to 1900, Chief Architect Oscar Wutsdorff from the Prussian War Ministry took over the planning and supervision of the construction project. This led to the establishment of the "Grand Ducal Mecklenburg Field Artillery Regiment No. 60," the IV. Division of the Holstein Field Artillery Regiment No. 24, as well as additional regimental buildings in Schwerin. The festive inauguration took place on April 3, 1900, in the new Officers' Mess. From the belvedere of the tower, officers and their guests enjoyed a magnificent panoramic view of the barracks site.
About the style
The complex of the New Artillery Barracks comprises the elongated quarters building and the non-commissioned officers' residence. The three- and three-and-a-half-story buildings are plastered and distinguished by prominent brick detailing. The round-arched and pointed-arched windows, as well as stepped gables with characteristic terracotta ornamentation, reference the buildings of the 16th century in the nearby castle.
The central projection of the quarters building with the equestrian representation from the Schwerin city coat of arms conveys the regional sovereign reference. In contrast, the attached small round pillars and the coupled round-arched windows evoke the High Romanticism of imperial cathedrals. The combination of these different elements was something special: Chief Architect Oscar Wutsdorff succeeded in creating a barracks building that, under the auspices of the German Empire, established its own legitimacy from imperial history while still exhibiting regional architectural references.
Following comprehensive restoration and maintenance work, the buildings of the New Artillery Barracks in Schwerin are now used as part of the state library and as administrative offices.
