M as in Moritz Bastion
The Moritz Bastion was built between 1551 and 1554 and was named after Moritz, Elector of Saxony. It is the only preserved medieval city fortification in Leipzig. During the Seven-Years-War (1756 – 1763) the buildings lost its military function. It served as storage for trade goods and as workplace for book printers and bell founders.
From 1796 onwards, the Moritz Bastion housed the first undenominational citizen school. The Battle of the Nations marked a short interruption of school life when the Moritz Bastion was used to accommodate wounded soldiers. Later the first art museum took over some of the rooms. The Moritz Bastion and with it the school were destroyed during World War II.
In 1974 the ownership of the Moritz Bastion was transferred to the students of the University of Leipzig. They removed over 40.000 m3 of debris and rubble from the vaulted cellars of the Bastion. More than 30.000 students helped reconstructing the Bastion, among them future Chancellor Angela Merkel. The Moritz Bastion opened again as a student´s club in 1982.
Bild von Wikipedia.org
Since 1993 the Moritz Bastion functions as café and cultural centre with theatre performances, dance events, poetry slams and movie nights. Artists from all over the world perform at the Moritz Bastion.
Elector (ɪˈlektəʳ) – der Kurfürst
to preserve (prɪˈzɜ:v) – etw erhalten, schützen
medieval (ˌmediˈi:vəl) – mittelalterlich
fortification (ˌfɔ:tɪfɪˈkeɪʃən) – die Befestigung
trade goods (treɪd gʊdz) – die Handelswaren
bell founder (bel ˈfaʊndəʳ) – der Glockengießer
undenominational (ʌndɪˌnɒmɪˈneɪʃənəl) – konfessionslos
citizen school (ˈsɪtɪzən sku:l) – die Bürgerschule
interruption (ˌɪntəˈrʌpʃən) – die Unterbrechung
to accommodate (əˈkɒmədeɪt) – jdn unterbringen, beherbergen
ownership (ˈəʊnəʃɪp) – der Besitz, Eigentum
to remove (rɪˈmu:v) – etw entfernen
vaulted cellar (ˈvɔ:ltɪd ˈseləʳ) – der Gewölbekeller
artist (ˈɑ:tɪst) – der/ die Künstler/in