New Ulm, MN might seem a quiet, rural town to the untrained eye, but take a stroll down Monument Street and you'll bump into Hermann the German. This approximately 102-foot-tall statue is more than just a big dude with a sword - it's a symbol of German pride, a piece of history, and a local landmark with a bit of a backstory.
The Hermann Heights Monument is a remembrance of the German ancestry of many Minnesotans. It depicts Arminius, an ancient Cheruscan, though locals refer to him as Hermann the German. The monument commemorates the German victory over the Romans at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. As depicted in the statue, Hermann's eastward gaze and upraised sword signify freedom from Rome.
Visitors to the statue can climb a spiral staircase to an observation platform at the base of the statue, which commands a view of the town and the Minnesota River Valley below. The monument is constructed of sheet copper molded over iron, with the 27-foot statue standing on a 70-foot iron column. It was dedicated in 1897 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Friendly Jane
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