Residenz Ansbach

Main façade of the residence

The Ansbach Residence was the government seat of the Margrave of Brandenburg -Ansbach. Today, the residence houses the government of Middle Franconia.

The residence

The residence evolved from a medieval system.

1398-1400 built Elector Frederick I of Brandenburg a Stiftshof outside the city wall to a water castle. The remains are preserved in the north- west wing of the present residence.

Under Margrave Georg Friedrich I. was created by the Swabian architect Blaise Berwart (1563-1589 Markgräflicher top builder ) 1565-1575 a demanding Residence building of the Renaissance.

A good century later, the last major construction phase of the residence, 1694-1716 began under Gabriel de Gabrieli, 1719-1730 under Carl Friedrich von Zocha and 1731-1749 under Leopoldo Retti.

To 1565/1575 a long room, now called the great Gothic Hall with its ribbed vault was built. This clearly shows that the residence is not a complete rebuilding of the Baroque and Rococo. Here is the largest collection of pottery and porcelain from the former Ansbacher factory is issued. Between 1705 and 1738 was rebuilt to current form. The Grisons architect Gabriel de Gabrieli created to 1709 the East wing as the main front of the Castle and the arcaded courtyard in Vienna's Baroque approximate form. The interior dates from the period 1734-1745 under architect Leopoldo Retti. The other conversions under Margrave Alexander remained in the conventions of the Rococo, although Schnitzer as the Hofschreiner Johann Christoph Berg were quite familiar with the style of early classicism shapes, so that the piano nobile now presented almost exclusively in the taste of the Rococo. The fact that this particular time state is obtained due to the fact that the last Margrave of Brandenburg -Ansbach in 1791 the residence of the Kingdom of Prussia handed in his resignation. Since the castle was no longer a royal residence as of this date, the rooms also did not have to be modernized according to the tastes of its inhabitants. Worth seeing is the ceiling fresco by Carlo Carlone in the Festival Hall, the Art Gallery of Rococo works from the former margrave's gallery and a collection of Meissen porcelain in the mirror cabinet.

Orangerie and Hofgarten

First mention of a garden located there early 16th century found in the herbal of Leonhart Fuchs. From 1723 to 1750, it was designed as a baroque garden. During the Second World War severely damaged, it was re- created in the style of the 17th and 18th century after the war. A herb garden with many medicinal plants and a citrus house for overwintering container plants are worth seeing.

Because the courtyard is not axially associated with the residence, created the then chief architect Carl Friedrich von Zocha with the castle-like Orangerie an independent architectural center for the gardens. Construction was started in 1726 by Zochas plans and was structurally complete in 1730. However, when you visit Frederick the Great in September 1743 he seems to have been still always unfinished. ( Zocha 1713-19 had also expanded the castle built in 1613 in Unterschwaningen for the Margrave pair Wilhelm Friedrich and Christiane Charlotte. )

1825 a monument to the poet Johann Peter Uz Ansbach ( 1720-1796 ) was built with a name created by Carl Alexander Heideloff bronze bust. The inscription on the stele- like pedestal reads:

In Orangerie and Hofgarten the annual Rococo Festival will be held, at the time of the Margrave Karl Wilhelm Friedrich show court life (Brandenburg -Ansbach ).