The rally site of the Nazi party in the German city of Nuremberg, Bavaria, will get a $90 million makeover as some of its structures are crumbling over.
According to Dezeen, the structure was built by Adolf Hitler's favourite architect, Albert Speer. The monument was built to last as long as the Roman buildings did. Made of marble and stone, Speer thought that the materials would withstand the test of time. In his "Theory of Ruin Value", Speer wrote:
"By using special materials and by applying certain principles of statics, we should be able to build structures which even in a state of decay, after hundreds or (such were our reckonings) thousands of years would more or less resemble Roman models."
However, the structure has weakened since the Second World War and is in danger of collapse.
The 11 square kilometer structure is a major tourist spot. About 20,000 travelers visit the monument a year. The site comprises of 24 towers and a 'Zeppelin Tribune' from where Hitler apparently watched parades. However, the structure was never completed. The site was featured in the Nazi propaganda film, 'Triumph of the Will', which still remains banned in Germany.
With its withering state, the number of tourists has also declined. The condition of the monument is so bad that it could fall apart any time. The government has been in a tight spot on the decision of the notorious site for long now. After much thought, the administration has decided to give it some reviving touches, but claims that it does not intend to spruce the monument up, reports the Independent.
"Demolishing the buildings would provoke international outrage - so we are going to renovate the complex, but this does not mean that we are sprucing it up," Ulrich Maly, the Mayor of Nuremberg said to Süddeutsche Zeitung, a German newspaper.
Parts of the monument were demolished in the 1960s. However, bringing down any part of the structure is impossible now as it has already been rendered a historically significant site. The new renovation will just repair the 'golden hall' at the Zeppelin's Tribune and will also ensure that the graffiti left by soldiers remain intact. It is now set to become a preserved memorial, reports RT.com.
Some people had suggested that the monument be left to perish as a symbol of a passing era. While some people think the place should be restored and converted into a 'rehabilitation' center "to incarcerate and 'house 'all the world's Nazis and war criminals", others think it's a waste of money.
"What a ridiculous waste of money! Forget the past let it fade into obscurity, don't glorify your mistakes, move on!" another comment on a related feature read.