Double house at Marienstrasse 25/27

About the building

At Marienstrasse 25 and 27 stands a double villa that differs clearly from its classicist neighbours. The rectangular building of 1894 has a finely cut late-Gothic hipped roof that flares out at the bottom over a curved soffit board under the overhang. On both long sides, two small half-timbered roof dormers break through it; they carry small hipped gable roofs with knobs.

The façades are rendered and articulated in sandstone, with quoins at the corners. Single and paired windows with moulded or chamfered frames are arranged symmetrically. Closed verandas with terraces project from the narrow sides. The building inventory assigns the villa to the style of Burgundian late Gothic; the heritage office’s district history, by contrast, counts it among the cottage style, that is, freely grouped buildings with lively roofs and half-timbered and wooden parts.

Architect and client was Eduard von Rodt (1849–1926), who two years later also built the double villa Nos. 29/31 next door. Von Rodt had bought building land in the Kirchenfeld from the Berne Land Company. He was also a historian, directed the Historical Museum from 1881 to 1894 and wrote books about old Bern. According to the district history, he knew how to turn late-Gothic or Baroque models into houses of his own time.

The changes remained modest: a parking area on the north side in 1974, new windows in 1997 and new glazing for the terrace at No. 27 in 2008. The house is rated as worthy of protection and belongs to the Kirchenfeld building group. Look at the small half-timbered dormers in the roof.

Researched and summarised by Bärn Kit. Sources: Bauinventar der Stadt Bern: Marienstrasse 25, 27 · Bauinventar der Stadt Bern: Quartiergeschichte Kirchenfeld-Brunnadern · Wikipedia (de): Eduard von Rodt · Wikidata: Q106621525