Georg Ludwig Friedrich Laves (17 December 1788 – 30 April 1864) was a German architect, civil engineer and urban planner. Born in

Uslar Uslar (; Eastphalian dialect, Eastphalian: ''Üsseler'') is a town and a municipality in southern Lower Saxony, Germany, in the south-western part of the district of Northeim (district), Northeim, and in the south of the hills of Solling forest whi ...

Lower Saxony Lower Saxony (german: Niedersachsen ; nds, Neddersassen; stq, Läichsaksen) is a German state (') in northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with , and fourth-largest in population (8 million in 2021) among the 16 ...

, he lived and worked primarily in the city of

Hanover Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-largest city in Northern Germany ...

and also died there. He was appointed Oberhofbaudirektor, "court master builder", in 1852. As the leading architect of the

Kingdom of Hanover The Kingdom of Hanover (german: Königreich Hannover) was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Ha ...

for a career spanning 50 years, he had great influence on the urban development of this city. Alongside

Karl Friedrich Schinkel Karl Friedrich Schinkel (13 March 1781 – 9 October 1841) was a Prussian architect, city planner and painter who also designed furniture and stage sets. Schinkel was one of the most prominent architects of Germany and designed both neoclassic ...

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

and

Leo von Klenze Leo von Klenze (Franz Karl Leopold von Klenze; 29 February 1784, Buchladen (Bockelah / Bocla) near Schladen – 26 January 1864, Munich) was a German neoclassicist architect, painter and writer. Court architect of Bavarian King Ludwig I, Le ...

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...

, Laves was one of the most accomplished

neoclassical style Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing sty ...

architects of Germany. As an engineer he developed a special iron truss lenticular or "fishbelly" beam bridge construction method, the so-called "Lavesbrücke". Laves found his final resting place in the Engesohde Cemetery (Engesohder Friedhof) in Hanover. Among his most important works are: * Full reconstruction of the Leineschloss ( Leine Palace or Leine Castle), between 1816 and 1844 (severely damaged in World War II and again re-built by Dieter Oesterlen between 1957 and 1962). * Hanover Opera House, home of the

Staatsoper Hannover Hanover State Opera (german: Staatsoper Hannover) is an opera company in Hanover, the state capital of Lower Saxony, Germany. The company is resident in the Hanover Opera House (), and is part of a publicly-funded umbrella performing arts organ ...

, built between 1845 and 1852 (severely damaged in World War II and re-built in 1948). * Wangenheim palace for Count Georg von Wangenheim, built between 1829 and 1832. * The facade of

Herrenhausen Palace Herrenhausen Palace (German: ''Schloss Herrenhausen'') is a former royal summer residence of the House of Hanover in the Herrenhausen district of the German city of Hanover. It is the centerpiece of Herrenhausen Gardens. The original palace ...

(Schloss Herrenhausen) in neoclassical style, about 1820/21 (destroyed in World War II and rebuilt in 2013). * The Palmenhaus ("Palm-house"), a conservatory in the Berggarten built between 1846 and 1849 (destroyed in World War II). The building housed the most extensive and valuable collection of palms in Europe. * The mausoleum for King Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover, and his consort

Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Frederica Louise Caroline Sophie Alexandrina of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (german: Friederike Louise Caroline Sophie Alexandrine; 3 March 1778 – 29 June 1841) was a German princess who married successively Prince Louis Charles of Prussia, Prince ...

in the garden of the Chapel at Schloss Herrenhausen (the mausoleum today is situated in the Berggarten, part of the

Herrenhausen Gardens The Herrenhausen Gardens (german: Herrenhäuser Gärten, ) of Herrenhausen Palace, located in Herrenhausen, an urban district of Lower Saxony's capital of Hanover are made up of the Great Garden (), the Berggarten, the Georgengarten and th ...

), built between 1842 and 1847. * Waterloo Square with Waterloo Column, built between 1826 and 1832. * Some structures designed or remodeled in the landscape garden around the

Derneburg Holle is a village and a municipality in the district of Hildesheim, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately 15 km southeast of Hildesheim, and 15 km west of Salzgitter. It was mentioned in Tom Clancy's bestseller ''Red S ...

Castle near Hildesheim, owned by Count

Ernst zu Münster Graf Ernst Friedrich Herbert zu Münster (born 1 March 1766 Osnabrück; died 20 May 1839 Hanover) was a German statesman, politician and minister in the service of the House of Hanover. Biography Ernst zu Münster was born the son of Georg zu (1 ...

Gallery

Image:Waterloosäule sst.jpg, Waterloo Column on Waterloo Square, Hanover Image:Hannover Opernhaus abends.jpg, Hanover Opera House Image:Hannover Leineschloss.jpg, Leine Palace, Hanover Image:Wangenheim Palais.jpg, Wangenheim Palace, Hanover Image:Laves Haus.jpg, The Laveshaus, the Hanover building where Laves resided Image:Georgengarten Wilhelm Busch Museum.jpg, Candelabra in front of the Wilhelm-Busch-Museum in the Georgengarten, Hanover Image:Derneburg-Pyramide.01.JPG, The mausoleum at Derneburg Castle Image:Derneburg Lavesbrücke.jpg, The "Laves bridge" at Derneburg Castle (reconstructed) 1788 births 1864 deaths 19th-century German architects People from Uslar German neoclassical architects Architects from Hanover {{Germany-architect-stub