The Königsberg Stock Exchange (; ) is a former

stock exchange A stock exchange, securities exchange, or bourse is an exchange where stockbrokers and traders can buy and sell securities, such as shares of stock, bonds and other financial instruments. Stock exchanges may also provide facilities for ...

in now

Kaliningrad Kaliningrad,. known as Königsberg; ; . until 1946, is the largest city and administrative centre of Kaliningrad Oblast, an Enclave and exclave, exclave of Russia between Lithuania and Poland ( west of the bulk of Russia), located on the Prego ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

. One of the few buildings in central

Königsberg Königsberg (; ; ; ; ; ; , ) is the historic Germany, German and Prussian name of the city now called Kaliningrad, Russia. The city was founded in 1255 on the site of the small Old Prussians, Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teuton ...

to survive

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, it is now a

cultural centre A cultural center or cultural centre is an organization, building or complex that promotes culture and arts. Cultural centers can be neighborhood community arts organizations, private facilities, government-sponsored, or activist-run. Africa * ...

. The first stock exchange in Königsberg was documented in 1619. Four years later, it was located in a new building of

Kneiphof Coat of arms of Kneiphof Postcard of Kneiphöfsche Langgasse Reconstruction of Kneiphof in Kaliningrad's museum Kneiphof (; ; ) was a quarter of central Königsberg (Kaliningrad). During the Middle Ages it was one of the three towns that co ...

on the northern shore of the Alter Pregel; until 1798, it was accessible from the bridge Grüne Brücke. In 1699,

Altstadt ''Altstadt'' () is the German language word for "old town", and generally refers to the historical town or city centre within the old town or city wall, in contrast to younger suburbs outside. '' Neustadt'' (new town), the logical opposite of ...

built its own stock exchange along the Hundegatt branch of the Pregel River. Kneiphof's building was rebuilt in 1798 as its second exchange, but it burned down in 1800. Kneiphof's third exchange was then partially constructed within the river in 1801. It was closed in 1875 because it was too small for the growing city. Kneiphof's fourth and final stock exchange opened in 1875 in Vordere Vorstadt, along the southern shore of the Pregel opposite the island of Kneiphof. The two-storied building was constructed by the

Bremen Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (, ), is the capital of the States of Germany, German state of the Bremen (state), Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (), a two-city-state consisting of the c ...

architect Heinrich Müller from 1870 to 1875. Emil Hundrieser designed its decoration, which included allegorical figures of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America along the roof and two lions at its steps. Königsberg's merchants considered the building to have been built in the Northern Italian

Neo-Renaissance Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th-century Revivalism (architecture), architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival architecture, Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival ar ...

style. Aside from its business activities, the building also hosted concerts and political meetings. Because the

Kunsthalle A kunsthalle () is a facility that mounts temporary art exhibitions, similar to an art gallery. It is distinct from an art museum by not having a permanent collection. In the German-speaking regions of Europe, ''Kunsthallen'' are often operated ...

was used by the

German Army The German Army (, 'army') is the land component of the armed forces of Federal Republic of Germany, Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German together with the German Navy, ''Marine'' (G ...

's postal service during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, exhibitions were held instead at the stock exchange. The stock exchange was heavily damaged by the 1944 Bombing of Königsberg and the 1945

Battle of Königsberg The Battle of Königsberg, also known as the Königsberg offensive, was one of the last operations of the East Prussian offensive during World War II. In four days of urban warfare, Soviet Union, Soviet forces of the 1st Baltic Front and the 3 ...

and became part of Soviet Kaliningrad after

. While most ruined buildings in the city were demolished, the Soviet authorities decided to rebuild the former stock exchange in 1967 into a marine cultural centre because they considered it to contain elements of Russian

neo-classical architecture Neoclassical architecture, sometimes referred to as Classical Revival architecture, is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassicism, Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy, France and Germany. It became one of t ...

. Image:ID003292 A197 Boersef.jpg, Königsberg Stock Exchange and the Pregel River Image:ID004173 C137 KbgBoerseVonOben.jpg, Königsberg Stock Exchange Image:Innenraum Börse.jpg, Former interior of the stock exchange Image:Koenigsberger Boerse lion.JPG, Lion statues before the building Image:Kaliningrad 05-2017 img06 Stock Exchange.jpg, Main portal Image:Kaliningrad 05-2017 img03 Stock Exchange.jpg, Facade to the river Image:Panoramic view of the stock exchange building (built in 1875 in Königsberg).jpg, Panoramic view of the stock exchange building, Pregel River (center), Kneiphof island (left) and Estakadnyi Bridge (right) in Summer 2014

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Konigsberg Stock Exchange 1945 disestablishments in Germany Buildings and structures in Kaliningrad Financial services companies established in 1875 Cultural centers in Europe

Stock Stocks (also capital stock, or sometimes interchangeably, shares) consist of all the Share (finance), shares by which ownership of a corporation or company is divided. A single share of the stock means fractional ownership of the corporatio ...

Renaissance Revival architecture in Germany Renaissance Revival architecture in Russia Stock exchanges in Germany Defunct stock exchanges German companies established in 1875 Cultural heritage monuments of regional significance in Kaliningrad Oblast