ORNAMENTAL WOODCARVER Patrick Damiaens: The Palace of Bruchsal | German Palace | A castle in Baden-Württemberg

The Palace - Castle of Bruchsal

Bruchsal Palace

A Castle-Palace in Baden-Württemberg

Interior in Baroque and Rococo periods.

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In this blog article we will visit the Bruchsal Castle - Palace in in Baden-Württemberg, a special big castle with an interior decoration in Baroque and Rococo periods.

The city of Bruchsal is located in the west of Germany, in the area of in Baden-Württemberg; you will practically cross it when you're on your holiday’s trip, driving out of Belgium,the Netherlands or Luxemburg on your way to southern Germany, Austria and Italy, Bruchsal is located at the E52 near Karlsruhe.

It is really worthwhile to stop there for a moment; the city has much to offer in terms of history and the Castle of Bruchsal with its baroque interior worth a visit.
The castle houses the German music box museum. A short break during your busy highway-trip, where you can enjoy culture and have something to eat in the Castle restaurant. Highly recommended.

The Castle - Palace of Bruchsal

The Palace of Bruchsal | The entrance

Bruchsal Castle.

Bruchsal Castle was founded in 1720 as a residence for the prince-bishops of Speyer. Four of them have Bruchsal Castle built during the 18th Century, inhabited and the final was 80 years at the center of their absolute dominion and power.

Under the supervision of Cardinal Damian Hugo von Schönborn a complex of 50 buildings were built; the main building with two wings from Loss Burger sandstone is the absolute eye-catcher.

Colorful, fur and festive, that's the first impression you get when entering the 'cour d'honneur, the courtyard wedged between the three main buildings of the castle complex. The buildings are richly decorated, painted and fitted with gilded stucco. The two roof ends of the main building are very beautifully made and decorated with impressive dragons forged in metal.

Oval staircase, Balthasar Neumann

The famous Baroque architect Balthasar Neumann (1687-1753), was one of the architects who gave shape to the castle, along with many craftsmen and artists in stucco specialist who previously had worked with him in the construction of the 'Residenz "in Würzburg.
Around 1728 Balthazar Neumann designed his famous oval staircase in Baroque style for his client. A staircase unique in its kind. Two oval staircases run up on each side facing each other.
The stairway ends impressively under a huge painted dome.

The Palace of Bruchsal | The Prince Hall

Interior in Baroque and Rococo periods.

In the middle room with adjacent two ballrooms, the Prince Hall and the Marble Hall.
Upon completion of the work in 1750 Schönborn's successor, Cardinal Franz Christoph von Hutten, gave the rooms a German Rococo style decoration. This work was completed in 1760.

The wall and ceiling paintings obviously have a Christian theme and all this combined with the gilded stucco and scagliola has become a very tasteful work.

Interior in Baroque and Rococo periods.

The Palace of Bruchsal | Gilded Rococo Ornaments

The Marble Hall, Palace of Bruchsal

In the aftermath of the Second World War the castle interior was almost completely destroyed. Fortunately, the structural part of the stairwell survived the bombing of March 1, 1945. Fortunately, archives and a detailed archived photo preserved from the 19th and 20th centuries were used for the reconstruction of the castle, as original as possible.
After visiting the palace’s corps de logis (main part of the building), we recommend you pay a visit to the German Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments and the Bruchsal City Museum.

Translation Lis Alvardo