Neues Schloss (Meersburg)

The New Castle Meersburg was from 1750 until the abolition of the diocese in 1803 the residence of the prince bishops of Constance.

Architectural History

1710 was begun under Bishop Johann Franz Schenk von Stauffenberg by the builder Chr Gessinger with the construction of the " new construction ". The shell, which already showed the later proportions, was completed by 1712.

In the following years, however, remained under the representative expansion, the building was used as office building. It had contained already upstairs, the sequence of representative apartments, which were essential for a princely residence, but also the construction of a representative staircase was, strangely enough, was omitted.

With the accession of Cardinal Damian Hugo von Schönborn, who was bishop of Speyer already and there was the Bruchsal castle on your build, the existing building has been adapted to the requirements of a residence in 1740 by the architect Johann Georg Stahl from Bruchsal, designed by Balthasar Neumann a representative staircase added.

1741 to 1743 was followed by the installation of the castle chapel, also designed by Balthasar Neumann, the decor is the work of the fresco painter Gottfried Bernhard Goz from Augsburg ( 1708-1774 ) and the plasterer Joseph Anton Feuchtmayer ( 1696-1770 ).

From 1759-1762 was rebuilt again by Prince Bishop Cardinal Franz Konrad von Rodt headed Franz Anton Bagnatos builder: The dilapidated staircase had to be renewed, the Baroque facade of the Palace Square was given by enlarging the window and stucco window - frames, and by redesigning the curved gable - essays a contemporary feel in the rococo style. In 1763, a main station was built.

The interior of the castle is the work of the court painter Giuseppe kurmainzischen APPIANI (around 1705-1786 ) and the plasterer Carlo Luca Pozzi ( 1735-1803 ). From APPIANI the ceiling painting in the stairwell " glorification of the Prince Bishop and the Bishopric " (1761 ) and provided in the ballroom, " The Adoration of the Divine Providence " ( 1762).

The outdoor facilities

The castle has south to the seaside a baroque facade. Prior to the garden terrace, from which one has a good view of the city, the ferry and boat operation as well as the Swiss banks of Lake Constance. The terrace is accessible from the ground floor of the castle, but also by a lateral stair ascent, which is decorated with a wrought iron gate. This is just before the entrance bridge to the old castle and is designed in an architectural trompe l'oeil manner: Only the left staircase leads to the terrace! Slightly below the garden terrace is still on the molasse above the lower town an almost oval tea house, which is open to the public only on special guided tours, with the motto: Omnia Tempus habent - Everything has its time.

On the northern side to the upper town towards the castle square is the former main station. In the middle of the Rococo palace facade is a clock with the God of Time, Chronos. On the left side of the castle is the entrance to today Protestant chapel used.

Use

Because of secularization, the castle was used only about 50 years of the Prince-Bishops of Constance and went 1802/1803 to the province of Baden.

In 1806 it served French troops as accommodation, 1838-43 as Miss Institute, 1938 as a Baden Official Prison, 1863 as a seaman School and from 1865 to 1937 as Badische Taubstummenanstalt that drew upon from Pforzheim.

Because of quartering the imperial school of finance in the seminar building the local junior high school building in 1937 was transferred to New Castle. The Badische Taubstummenanstalt had to give way. Having already referenced since the beginning of the Nazi period, about one-third of the students as " feeble-minded " and branded the school, others were sterilized because of Erbgesundheitsgesetzes, the rest of the students in 1937 came back to their hometowns. After renovation of the building, the former Benedictine abbey took on the "State school for the deaf with home " from January 1939 to 1944 in Gengenbach. The school for the deaf Südbaden then moved 1970/71 by webs at Freiburg.

From 1937 to 1945, in the New Castle Lake Constance Meersburg school, secondary school for boys in building form, ie, the former high school building housed. From 1945-1955, French troops found in the New Castle property ( see French occupation zone). In 1955 it was handed over to Baden- Württemberg, and from 1962 it houses museums.

Current usage

In 1955, the state of Baden -Württemberg took over the New Castle Meersburg. It is supervised by the institution State Palaces and Gardens Baden- Württemberg and is open for tours.