Schloss Rastatt

The German Schloss Rastatt and the Garden were built between 1700 and 1707 by the Italian master builder Domenico Egidio Rossi as ordered by Markgraf Ludwig Wilhelm von Baden.

History

During the Palatine war of succession the residence of the Markgrafen Ludwig Wilhelm in Baden-Baden (Germany) had been burnt by French troops. A rebuild of the destroyed castle would not have suited the representative needs of the count of Baden. Since he also needed a home for his wife Franziska Sibylla Augusta von Sachsen-Lauenburg whom he had married in 1690, at the place of the former hunting lodge a new residence was build.

During this operation the 1697 build hunting lodge "Corps de Logis" was demolished to make way for the new castle. The village Rastatt got promoted to city status in 1700 and the Markgraf moved with his court to Rastatt. The residence in Rastatt is the oldest baroque residence in the German Upper-Rhine area and was build according to the example of the French palace Versailles.

During the 19th century the castle was used as headquarter of the fort.

Inner rooms

Two impressive staircases full of stucco work give way to the Beletage. The biggest and most decorated hall is the "Ahnensaal" (Ancestral Hall) . It is decorate with many frescoes and shows next to paintings of ancestors many captured Ottoman soldiers.

The castle was not damaged during World War II. Today the castle is home of two museums, the "Wehrgeschichtliche Museum" (military history) and Erinnerungsstätte für die Freiheitsbewegungen in der deutschen Geschichte (Memorial site for the German liberation movement).

ee also

* List of castles in Germany

External links

* http://www.schloss-rastatt.de/en/palace-rastatt/Home/268159.html English page of Schloss Rastatt