Euro-Skulptur

Euro-Skulptur stands at Willy-Brandt-Platz in Frankfurt am Main, where public art meets the city’s European financial setting. It is an outdoor work by Ottmar Hörl. Fourteen metres high and weighing fifty tonnes, this electronic sign displays an illuminated euro symbol within twelve stars. Each star represents a state of the European Monetary Union. Their arrangement gives the ring a visible pattern of distinct member states around the central currency symbol. The open-air installation is wheelchair-accessible.

Its first illumination coincided with the introduction of the euro currency, linking public art to a shared European monetary project. Two copies originally existed, one at Frankfurt Airport and one beside the Eurotower. The Eurotower housed the former European Central Bank headquarters. At Willy-Brandt-Platz, it replaced a euro clock. A technical upgrade later replaced the original lighting with energy-efficient LEDs. When the European Central Bank moved buildings, relocation discussions ended with the structure remaining at Willy-Brandt-Platz. High maintenance costs prompted auction plans, while support from Caiz Development ultimately preserved the artwork there. Its glowing sign remains a frequent image in media reports about the euro.