The excavations at the Temple of Aphaia on Aegina and the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae defined the career of Carl Haller von Hallerstein. Between 1811 and 1812, he orchestrated the removal of friezes and pedimental sculptures from these Greek sites, which were subsequently exported and integrated into major European museum collections.
Early Education and Career
Born at Hiltpoltstein Castle in 1774, Haller von Hallerstein was a member of a noble patrician family from Nuremberg. He received architectural training at the Carlsakademie in Stuttgart before continuing his studies at the Berliner Bauakademie under David Gilly. By 1806, he secured a position as a royal building inspector in Nuremberg, marking the start of his professional practice in the Kingdom of Bavaria.
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In 1808, Haller von Hallerstein traveled to Rome to conduct research on early Christian architecture. His focus shifted eastward when he joined a group of scholars in 1810, traveling through Naples, Corfu, and Corinth to reach Athens. Alongside architects Charles Robert Cockerell and John Foster, he spent years documenting and analyzing ancient structural remains. These explorations led him to undertake further site work on the island of Ithaka and within the theater ruins on the island of Milos.
Antiquities and Legacy
The removal of archaeological findings from Greece during his tenure remains a point of historical contention. The sculptures recovered from the Temple of Aphaia were purchased for the Glyptothek in Munich. Meanwhile, the frieze taken from the Temple of Apollo in Bassae was sold to the British Museum in 1815. While Haller von Hallerstein produced extensive technical drawings of his discoveries, a significant portion was lost at sea. His life ended prematurely in 1817 in the Tempi Municipality of Thessaly, where he succumbed to a fever.
Fast facts
- Born: 1774, Hiltpoltstein Castle
- Died: 1817, Tempi Municipality
- Citizenship: Kingdom of Bavaria
- Primary Occupations: Architect, classical archaeologist, building researcher
- Education: Bauakademie
- Major Sites Excavated: Temple of Aphaia, Temple of Apollo Epicurius
Questions readers ask
What happened to the sculptures found at Bassae?
The relief frieze was transported to London and sold to the British Museum in 1815 by Haller von Hallerstein and his associates.
Where is Haller von Hallerstein buried?
He was initially buried in Thessaly following his death in 1817, but his remains were later relocated to Athens.
Achievements
- Trained at Bauakademie
