For structural measures - including demolition work - on or in a cultural monument, you generally require a permit under monument law. This also applies to measures that affect the substance or effect of a cultural monument.
Renovation work on an old villa
You need the listed building permit regardless of whether or not you require a building permit for the project in accordance with the Hessian Building Regulations (HBO).
You must apply for listed building consent from the Lower Monument Protection Authority.
Note
You must also apply for a listed building permit in advance for measures that have been exempt from planning permission since October 14, 2025 (when the amended HBO came into force). This applies to the demolition of listed buildings such as
barns
stable buildings
sheds
chimneys
other detached buildings in building classes 1 to 3.
Conversion of attics
Consulting services
Please contact the team at the Lower Monument Protection Authority if you have any questions about monument protection.
The Hessian Monument Protection Act (HDSchG) defines what cultural monuments are:
Movable or immovable objects, groups of objects and parts of objects, as well as complete sites and ground monuments in whose preservation there is a public interest for artistic, scientific, technical, historical or urban planning reasons (§ 2 Para. 1 HDSchG).
Comprehensive sites are large-scale cultural monuments consisting of several or many buildings and associated green, open and water areas (e.g. parks, cemeteries, villa gardens or avenues). Examples in Wiesbaden are the city center, the extensive spa facilities, the villa areas or the historic town centers of most suburbs (§ 2 para. 3 HDSchG).
Even if a tree that dominates the landscape in a villa garden or in a listed complex is to be felled, a listed building permit may be required.
You can find out whether your property, building or other structure is subject to the provisions of the Hessian Monument Protection Act from the Hesse State Office for the Preservation of Monuments (Hessisches Denkmalschutzrecht | Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Hessen) or from the Lower Monument Protection Authority.
If you are planning a building project for which you require planning permission, the building inspectorate will also check the listed building status. To do this, it consults with the Lower Monument Protection Authority. The decision is included directly in the decision of the building inspectorate.
Important: Even if no building permit is required in accordance with the Hessian Building Code (HBO), a listed building permit may still be required. This applies, for example, to renovation or conversion work inside cultural monuments.
Examples for which you must apply for listed building consent:
Generally for refurbishment or repair work
Demolition and gutting
Adding or installing stairs or elevators
Repainting or plastering facades
Replacing or repairing windows, doors, wall cladding and roof coverings
Installing or adding shop windows and advertising systems
Energy efficiency upgrades
Installing thermal insulation
Installing solar systems, including "balcony systems
Static interventions, e.g. for loft conversions or as part of timber frame repairs
If you want to build in the vicinity of a listed building, you also need a listed building permit. This applies to all measures that affect the monument or its surroundings - whether negatively or positively.
Note
You may only start work once permission has been granted. Violation of the monument regulations is punishable as an administrative offense with fines of up to 500,000 euros.
We therefore recommend that you seek advice before making any concrete plans. This will save everyone involved time, money and unnecessary hassle.
If you coordinate the measures on cultural monuments with the Lower Monument Protection Authority and obtain the corresponding approval under monument law, you can benefit financially.
Please apply to the Lower Monument Protection Authority for a listed building permit at least three months before the start of your planned work. Please submit all the necessary documents so that we can process your application quickly. This includes current photos, as-built plans and - if available - historical documents such as old photos, postcards, plans or building files.
In some cases, further preparatory investigations of the cultural monument are required, for example a structural or damage report, a building history report or restoration investigations. The Lower Monument Protection Authority may require such investigations.
We therefore recommend that you contact us at an early stage - preferably before or during the initial planning with your architect or craftsman. By the way: Under certain circumstances, these inspections can also be financially supported.
As soon as all documents are complete, you will receive written confirmation from us. If no decision is then made within three months, the approval is automatically deemed to have been granted - unless the deadline is extended by up to three months for an important reason.
You may only begin with the measures once the listed building permit has been issued. Anyone who acts without approval must expect a fine of up to 500,000 euros.
Documents relating to the application for listed building consent
The following documents must be included with the application:
Power of attorney(s), if the owner is different from the applicant
Site plan or property map indicating the building lot (scale 1:500 – 1:1,000)
Current photos of the building, if possible also showing its immediate urban surroundings, as well as any individual building components or details affected by the planned work
Building description (current condition) including details on construction, materials, fixtures, and color scheme
Description of the planned measures (target condition), if applicable based on tender documents or quotes from specialized contractors
For planned construction or renovation measures, the existing conditions and planned changes must always be shown in the plan documents. Planned demolitions or building components scheduled for removal must be marked in YELLOW, and planned new building components in RED.
If further permits under public law are required, these must be applied for at the relevant competent authority. Please inform yourself about this well in advance of the start of the work.
Note
The following documents must be attached to the application if necessary (please coordinate with staff at the local historic preservation authority before submitting the application):
Site plan with all necessary markings
As-built plans of the building complex
Historical photos and archival documents, if applicable
Construction drawings (depending on the project: floor plans, elevations, sections) with yellow-red markings
Detailed drawings of the street facade
Detailed drawings as agreed (scale 1:10, 1:1)
The results or documentation of preliminary investigations of the cultural monument (e.g., reports on the building’s history, restoration findings, results of archaeological excavations, etc.)
Room inventory (room-by-room inventory in photos and text with assessment; including coding and site plan)
Damage documentation including recording of any damage and clarification of causes (drawings, text, photos)
Structural engineering report with a safety and/or restoration plan
Building physics report or energy concept by a certified energy consultant for historic buildings
Documentation of the garden’s current condition from a historic preservation perspective and, if necessary, planning of preservation goals
Other expert reports
We’re happy to assist you by phone, via video conference, or in person at our office at Gustav-Stresemann-Ring 15. If needed, we can also schedule an on-site appointment.
