Schloss Favorite (Rastatt)
Favorite Castle was built by Johann Michael Ludwig Rohrer 1710-1730 in Rastatt - Förch. Building owner was the Margravine Sibylla Augusta of Baden -Baden (1675-1733), widow of the so-called Turks Louis, Margrave Ludwig Wilhelm von Baden -Baden (1655-1707), who had very clear ideas had to look like this baroque masterpiece with lavish, decorative interior. Next to the residence in Rastatt it should serve as a pleasure palace in the country the princely pleasures, socializing and game hunting, masquerades, studies and parenting.
Schloss Favorite is the oldest German " porcelain palace " and preserved as a single in its original form. Noteworthy is the large collection of Chinese porcelain and black lacquer work, as well as the Schwartz Porcelain ( stoneware with black and gold lacquer painting ).
Schloss Favorite is surrounded by a formerly baroque pleasure garden. At the time of the Margravine of Garden of avenues, symmetrical parterres was determined with water games and orangeries. In pheasantry grove there were numerous breeding and feeding houses for raising and breeding of wild jagdbarem. In 1718, a hermitage was built, in which the Countess retired to his senses. In the last decades of the 18th century, the castle garden was modernized by the court gardener Johann Michael Schweyckert and transformed into a landscaped garden, which determines the character of the entire system essentially until today. It offers vistas over meadows and ponds, vistas and water courses.
Specifications
Schloss Favorite is a three-storey facility, which encloses a small courtyard with its two wings. To the west and east colonnades were built that served as orangeries soon. The highlighted central projection of the castle is dominated by a triangular pediment on which the Baden- Saxony- Lauenburg alliance coat of arms can be seen. 15 window axes and the uniform ranking of the colossal sum up the ground floor and first floor together. About a sweeping staircase to reach the first floor with representative Parade rooms. The ground floor thus provided space for utility rooms. However Among them is a pure demonstration kitchen that counted as far back as the Marchioness to Favoriter sights that they occasionally showed her top guests personally.
Inside the palace, the Sala terrene which passes through all floors and is crowned by a dome tower dominates. Referenced to the garden, rectangular hall is complemented by four slanted niches in the corners. In the main floor located on either side of this central space per one apartment.
In profusion estimated in the early 18th century artisan techniques are realized in all rooms. This includes floors of stucco marble walls with faience tiles, ornate plaster and frescoed ceilings, curtains made of rare embroidery on the walls and fine furniture. Schloss Favorite is a unique baroque work of art with a hand over flood of decorations and represents not only the taste of the Princess, but also adequate stately self-expression.
Especially the " Florentine cabinet" in Schloss Favorite, fully preserved in the original, is unique in Europe. 758 illustrations adorn the walls. The 55 most valuable come from Florence - hence the name. They are made from " commesso ", a costly stone inlay technique, together with the ground and polished slabs and tiles of different colors of marble, granites and semi-precious stones and were placed in a stone base. To date, overwhelm the boards with their rich color gloss and perfection of craft work.
Importance
The magnificently decorated interiors, equipped with unique Asian and European porcelain, glass and Fayencesammlungen, make the extraordinary artistry of the Margravine significantly. A visit to Schloss Favorite makes it possible to experience different forms of chinoiserie. The textiles, but also paints and ceramics, illustrate in a special way the effect of European enthusiasm Asia in the early 18th century. Unlike modern museum rooms, the exhibits in Schloss Favorite are presented in their original, historic environment, as part of the royal collections, the visitors. Thus, they are shown not only as exquisite objects that they are so, but made clear in their cultural context.
Current usage
Favorite Castle is open for tours. It is one of the nation 's monuments and is supervised by the State palaces and gardens of Baden- Württemberg. The park is easily accessible.
The castle park and the castle were repeated place of shooting, so in 2008 as the main venue for the German fairy tale film The Frog Prince.
Since 1957, the Quantz Collegium organizes an annual concert series " Festive serenades Schloss Favorite ".