Orangerie (Kassel)
The Orangerie in Kassel was built below and around 400 meters south of the former city palace near the western shore Fulda under Landgrave Karl 1703-1711. Since then, it forms the northern edge of the Karlsaue.
History
On the site of today's castle and the orangery located in front Hesse arena a walled palace garden was created in 1568 by William IV, with a small pleasure palace at the south end. His successor Landgrave Moritz designed the garden in the early 17th century to.
The present baroque castle was built from about 1702 according to French models, as an architect shall be the Landgrave's court architect Johann Conrad Giesler. The main building is 139.40 meters long and has been designed as a low building with a higher two-storey central part and two higher, three-storey corner pavilions. The architecture of the building is continued in the axes of the baroque garden. The long galleries served as ceremonial halls, and at the same time as a wintering home for the summer erected within the so-called Orangerie garden potted plants. Hence the classified as significant Orangerie Kassel culture developed. The corner pavilions were used by the Landgrave's family as a summer residence. The upper floor of the central building there was the richly designed Apollosaal. It is significant that he could only be reached through the open roof - a flight of stairs did not exist. The underlying, once open passage through the gate of the Orangery joined the so-called Voraue (now Hessen arena ) and the rest of the park together. The main axis of the grand baroque park underscoring through the building.
Landgrave Charles wanted, the main building of the Orangery with several, somewhat to hem aloof pavilion. During his lifetime, but only the marble at the western end of the orangery was carried out (1722 ), a stateroom, which served no practical purpose except for the presentation of numerous marble sculptures by Pierre- Étienne Monnot and can now be visited on guided tours. Only in 1765 was restored by the construction of the kitchen pavilion, facing the marble east, by Simon Louis du Ry, the symmetry of the system.
After the occupation of Hesse-Cassel by French troops, the Orangerie served first as a hospital and magazine. 1808 called the Westphalian King Jérôme Bonaparte here the country stands, before the Fridericianum was converted into the "Palace of the stands ." In 1813, Kassel was liberated by the Russian army. The portal of the marble bath still bears the scars of the Russian shelling.
From 1830 the interior was heavily affected by unsuccessful repair work. Most stucco, Innenausmalung were lost. 1872, the stucco of the exterior have been changed dramatically. Among other things, the baroque medallions of Roman emperors were replaced by portraits of Hessian rulers and removes the damaged statues of the niches of the north side. It was often the bulk of the Orangerie and the Voraue, which was rebuilt in 1926 to the sports field Hesse arena, used as an exhibition building or terrain - for industrial, commercial and exhibitions of various kinds.
Current usage
During the Second World War, the Orangerie was heavily damaged in a British air raid in October 1943. After the ruin was provisionally secured in 1955 and served in this form as an exhibition for the second Federal Garden Show and the documenta. In the 1970s, its appearance has been restored, the historic remains of the south side were replaced by faulty replicas to the long wings. The decorations of the front correspond only to the state from 1872, the interior is completely redesigned.
On the occasion of documenta 6 in 1977 was the Orangerie of the laser Cape installation by Horst H. Baumann and Peter Hertha. The rays figurations take the axial symmetry of the Baroque of the Orangery, Karlsaue and the city of Kassel on as such and connect them on special days by a nightly illumination.
Today, the Orangerie is the seat of Astronomy and Physics Cabinet with integrated therein Planetarium. This is a reference made to their scientific significance in astronomy to time of Landgrave Moritz. At that time was located in the former defensive tower in the city wall, the Zwehrenturm, the first device for star gazing and study of astronomical phenomena. The museum is affiliated since 1996, the " Planetenwanderweg Karlsaue ".
The administration of the Museum Hessen Kassel aims at the resumption of culture Orangerie in Kassel. To this end, in the future, in turn, citrus plants, at least over the winter in parts of the Orangerie and the premises in the summer are used for events. The spacious terrace garden separates the castle from the front of it Karlswiese and is especially used in the field of kitchen pavilion during the summer through gastronomy.
During the documenta 12, the meadow was used prior to the Orangery for the exhibition, including a 9,500 square meter hall was built in the meadow. This hall was named Auepavillon.