Junkerstrasse: Experience of Virtual Reconstruction of the Historical Königsberg Street in the Time of I. Kant. 18th – Early 19th Centuries Part 1

Abstract

The article was written as part of the Baltic Valley strategic project and is devoted to the analysis of historical buildings, the problems and difficulties of the architectural reconstruction of a fragment of the disappeared part of the city of Königsberg, namely, the buildings of Junkerstrasse (Junker Street). This street was part of the structure of the Castle Sloboda, located near the ancient fortress founded by the Teutonic Order in 1255. The relevance of this study is due to the approach of a memorable date – the 300th anniversary of the birth of the great philosopher Immanuel Kant (born April 22, 1724). A native of the city of Königsberg, the scientist at the end of his life lived in his own house on the Princessinstrasse (Princess Street), located near Junkerstrasse. His friends, the scientist and pharmacist Karl Gottfriedt Hagen (1749-1829) and the bookseller and publisher Friedrich Nicolovius (1768-1836), lived and worked on Junkerstrasse, who were often visited by I. Kant. The novelty of the presented work lies in an attempt to recreate in writing and with the help of a visual 3D model the architectural and artistic image of a street that has not existed for a long time and, especially, houses that belonged to friends of the famous thinker in the 18th – early 19th centuries. The reconstruction of the historical appearance of the buildings of the time of I. Kant is based on the use of the few surviving pictorial and written sources. The purpose of the study is to familiarize modern readers and viewers with the features of the development of the old street and the architecture of the buildings where the philosopher visited. Now Shevchenko Street in Kaliningrad has been laid over the former Junkerskaya Street, roads, residential buildings, shops are located on the site of the houses of the philosopher and his friends. It is all the more important to give an idea of the city that inspired the scope of scientific thought of I. Kant, who created a coherent philosophical system of the universe. Тhis study presents the history of one of the ancient streets of the former Königsberg, as far as possible, the appearance of historical buildings associated with the name of the famous resident of the city is recreated.