Impressum

Seminar Venue

Since 1976 the Physikzentrum Bad Honnef (PBH) serves as the main meeting point of the German Physical Society (DPG). It offers a secluded setting for research conferences, seminars, and workshops, and has proved to be especially stimulating for fruitful discussions. To live and work in a single building is an essential concept of the Physikzentrum in bringing experienced researchers and young students together.
Surroundings
The stately mansion housing the Physikzentrum is surrounded by a park at the foot of the Siebengebirge ("the Seven Hills") on the right bank of the Rhine river near Bonn. Numerous spa facilities near the Center lend the green character to the town. In the immediate neighbourhood an extensive net of hiking-paths in the Germany's oldest nature preserve invites pleasant short or long walks. Excellent public transport offers convenient access to nearby cities of Bonn (15 km) and Cologne (40 km) with many cultural and scientific attractions. Due to its central location Bad Honnef is easy to reach from all European countries.
In this area the Rhine is framed like a string of pearls by many castles, one of the most typical and beautiful ones being Schloss Arenfels in Bad Hönningen. Alexander von Humboldt once declared Bad Honnef the "German Nice". Bad Honnef opens the way to wonderful adventures in nature. Narrow trails leading through springy floored woods, along shaded mountain valleys and the Siebengebirge hills. The crests of the hills offer spectacular panoramas of the Rhine Valley and the neighbouring mountain landscapes.

Bad Honnef with its 25,000 inhabitants, a spa town of international interest, serves as a starting point of exciting excursions. Among others there are the cities of Remagen, Linz and Bad Hönningen, the legendary Drachenfels castle and ruins and the city of Koblenz, where the Mosel river flows into the Rhine. You will find 40 castles, stately homes and fortresses in the upper middle-Rhine valley, between Bingen and Koblenz.

Facilities & Equipment
A lecture hall seating up to 120 participants with a modern double rear projection, interactive electronic board, and full video conferencing equipment is available for comference participants. Technical equipment includes data-, overhead- and videoprojection, poster- and blackboards, internet- and email-access. Downstairs a comfortable and cosy clubroom invites discussions and extended talks in the evenings.

The History of the House
In 1897 the rich merchant Otto Hölterhoff donated his entire fortune and property to the University of Bonn with the condition to establish the "Elly Hölterhoff-Böcking-Foundation" in memory of his wife Elly. This foundation was meant to be a "home for young ladies of higher descent" as teachers of a household school for girls of lower descent. The school was opened in June 1906 and run successfully till 1940. Since 1947 the foundation served as home for senior citizens and for "special purposes of the University of Bonn in the fields of research and education". Following the rising demand of many German physicists for establishing a summer school center the Physikzentrum Bad Honnef was founded at the 12th of June, 1976. Since then PBH is run by the DPG and supported by the Land North Rhine-Westphalia and the University of Bonn.


Last updated: November 05. 2014