Bruck in Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany — Central Europe
Hauptpost
⎯⎯⎯
Main Post Office
Photographed by James Hulse, February 25, 2026
1. Hauptpost / Main Post Office Marker
Die Industrialisierung beschleunigte die Kommunikation. Telegraphie und Telefon fanden auch in Erlangen Verbreitung, gleichzeitig wuchs der Postverkehr. 1897/98 wurde deshalb an zentraler Stelle ein großes Postgebäude errichtet. Dem neobarocken Prachtbau mussten ein dreigeschossiges Richthaus und ein zweigeschossiges Wohnhaus weichen – ein erster empfindlicher Eingriff in die barocke Bausubstanz mitten in der Stadt.
Industrialization accelerated communication. Telegraphy and the telephone also spread in Erlangen, while postal traffic increased at the same time. For this reason, a large post office building was erected at this central location in 1897/98. The neo-Baroque monumental building required the demolition of a three-story Richter house and a two-story residential building—an early and significant intrusion into the Baroque building fabric in the middle of the city.
Erected by City of Erlangen and Rehau.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Communications.
Location. 49° 35.763′ N, 11° 0.258′ E. Marker is in Erlangen, Bayern (Bavaria). It is in Bruck. It is at the intersection of Hauptstraße and Hugenottenplatz, on the right when traveling south on Hauptstraße. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Hugenottenpl 1, Erlangen BY 91054, Germany. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in German Franconia. Globally, it is in Europe, the European Union, Atlantic Europe, Central Europe, the Schengen Area, Western Europe, and the Western World. Historically,
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Gasthof zum „Walfisch“ / “The Whale Inn” (within shouting distance of this marker); Ehemalige Sophienkirche / Former Sophien Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Dr. Carl Cannstatt (within shouting distance of this marker); Neustädter Kirche / Neustadt Church (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Emmy Noether (about 90 meters away); Ignatz Wild (about 90 meters away); Professor Dr. Gottfried Thomasius (about 90 meters away); Iwan Weinstock (about 90 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Erlangen.
Also see . . . Hauptpost. City of Erlangen, in German - Excerpt (in translation):
Where fast food is consumed today, the post office once resided. Their new office building at Luitpoldplatz (today Hugenottenplatz) moved into the main post office in 1898, after the rooms in the Palais Stutterheim had no longer been sufficient. A three-storey Richthaus and the adjacent building had to give way to the historicist magnificent building - one of the first sensitive interventions in the baroque building ensemble of the Erlanger Neustadt.(Submitted on March 15, 2026, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
On the roof of the impressive building stood the entry tower for the telegraph and telephone lines, which at that time still ran above ground. In the large service hall, in addition to letter and parcel counters, the telegraph and telephone services were also located, which were increasingly used as state-of-the-art means of communication at the time.
In Erlangen,the first two mailboxes had been set up in 1849, followed by the first telegraph station in 1857 and on June 1, 1891 the local telephone network with four subscribers and two public telephone connections went into operation. By 1929/30 it grew to around 4000, by 1969 to about 13770 connections. In the same year, the main post office had 14 post offices and 24 post offices, which employed 472 employees.Photographed by James Hulse, February 25, 20262. Hauptpost / Main Post Office MarkerThe marker is located at the base of the building along the ground.
The building on Hugenottenplatz had already become too small for operation, so that the Post Office built a new building at Güterhallenstraße 1 in 1969–73, including the Loewenich Palace. The "old main post" escaped the planned demolition in 1975 only thanks to the intervention of the citizens' initiative Northern Inner City.
Photographed by James Hulse, February 25, 2026
3. Hauptpost / Main Post Office Marker
The marker is located under the McDonald’s sign flat on the ground.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 16, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 15, 2026, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 12 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 15, 2026, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
