Würzburg Residence
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Würzburg Residence | |
---|---|
Würzburger Residenz | |
General information | |
Type | Palace |
Architectural style | Baroque |
Address | Residenzplatz 2, 97070 Würzburg |
Country | Germany |
Coordinates | 49°47′34″N 9°56′19″E / 49.79278°N 9.93861°E |
Groundbreaking | 1720 |
Completed | 1744 (main structure) 1780 (interiors) |
Owner | Bavarian Administration of State-Owned Palaces, Gardens and Lakes |
Website | |
schloesser.bayern.de/wu_res | |
Official name | Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square |
Includes |
|
Criteria | Cultural: (i), (iv) |
Reference | 169bis |
Inscription | 1981 (5th Session) |
Extensions | 2010 |
Area | 14.77 ha (36.5 acres) |
Buffer zone | 25.0685 ha (61.946 acres) |
The Würzburg Residence (German: Würzburger Residenz) is a
Interiors considered masterworks of Baroque/Rococo or Neoclassical architecture and art include the grand staircase, the chapel, and the Imperial Hall. The building was reportedly called the "largest parsonage in Europe" by Napoleon.[1]: 52 It was heavily damaged by Allied bombing during World War II, and restoration has been in progress since 1945. Since 1981, the Residence has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its outstanding Baroque art, design, and architecture.[2]
History
18th century
The Prince-Bishops of Würzburg resided in the
In this, he was eagerly supported by two relatives, his uncle the
However, Johann Phillip Franz' successor, Prince-Bishop Christoph Franz von Hutten (1724–9) had no great interest in building such an enormous palace. He only wanted the northern block to be finished. This construction was concluded in the year of his death. All other works ceased.[3]
In the year 1730, however, under Prince-Bishop
The completion of the
Under the rule of Prince-Bishop Anselm Franz von Ingelheim (1746–49), all building work on the Residence ceased once again.[3] After his death, once Karl Philipp von Greifenclau zu Vollraths (1749–54) became Prince-Bishop, he ordered a resumption of construction. In the same year, Antonio Bossi completed the stucco-work in the Garden Hall, the painting of which was finished in the next year. In 1750, Lorenz Jakob Mehling, a merchant at Venice, sent Giovanni Battista Tiepolo to the bishopric residence, after the painter Giuseppe Visconti had failed.[4] Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, assisted by his sons, decorated the Imperial Hall and the ceiling above the staircase with frescoes in the early 1750s. In 1753, Balthasar Neumann died.[3]
Under Prince-Bishop Adam Friedrich von Seinsheim (1755–79), Materno and Ludovico Bossi created the stucco-work decoration over the staircase and in the first and second guest rooms of the northern Kaiserzimmer (Imperial Apartments) between 1769 and 1772. At the same time, the Green Lacquered Room and the Neoclassical Fürstensaal (Princes' Hall) were finished. From 1776 to 1781, the Ingelheimer Räume (Ingelheim Rooms) were decorated, including stucco-work by Materno Bossi.[3]
The total construction cost came to over 1.5 million guilders, at a time when a day labourer could expect a weekly wage of one guilder.[5]
19th and early 20th centuries
The episcopal principality of Würzburg was abolished with
In 1814, Würzburg became part of the
Destruction in World War II
As a result of a devastating air raid on 16 March 1945, the residence was almost completely burnt out and only the central building with the Vestibule, Garden Hall, Staircase, White Hall and Imperial Hall survived the inferno, their roofs destroyed. From the attic the fire ate down through wooden ceilings and floors, and all the furnishings and wall panelling which had not been stored elsewhere were devoured by the flames.
Much of the furnishing and large sections of the wall panelling of the period rooms had been removed in time and thus escaped destruction. Neumann's stone vaults withstood the collapse of the burning attic. However, because the roofs had gone, further damage was incurred in the ensuing period due to dampness. In the Court Chapel, for example, most of the ceiling frescoes by Byss succumbed to the subsequent consequences of the fire, in spite of the intact vault, and had to be laboriously reconstructed.[5]
Post-war rebuilding
From 1945 to 1987, the building and its interiors were reconstructed to their current state. The rebuilding cost about €20m.[5]
Inclusion in UNESCO World Heritage List
The Würzburg Residence with its Court Gardens and Residence Square was inscribed in the
Description
Architectural plan
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Sectional drawing
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Ground floor
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Main floor
Exterior
The Residence was constructed on a baseplate of 92 × 167 meters. The main structure consists of a central wing with two side wings, the north and south blocks, each with two interior courts. On the town side the side wings extend 55 m from the main structure, partially enclosing the
Originally, the Cour d'honneur was limited by a wrought-iron enclosure. This masterpiece of ironworks by Joh. Georg Oegg was demolished in 1821 and sold at auction,[1]: 52 because a member of the family of the King of Bavaria did not like them.
The square in front of the Residence today measures around 200 meters by 100 meters and is mostly used for parking.[1]: 52 The de:Frankoniabrunnen from 1894 is located in the square.
Interior
The Residence has four floors, a high-ceiling ground and upper floor with a mezzanine floor above each. These served to enliven the façade and offered room for servants' quarters, kitchens and administrative offices.[1]: 54
The residence has almost 400 rooms.
Staircase
In Baroque style, the staircase gained importance as part of a formal reception room. The staircase of the Würzburg Residence spans its vault, an area of 18 × 32 meters, without pillars. Beneath an unsupported trough vault, a masterpiece of construction with a maximum height of 23 meters.
The lowest part of the stair leads away from the reception hall, towards a blank wall and then splits into two stairs which double back. Thus, the host on the upper landing was able to see his visitors first who initially walked away from him. When the guests turned and approached, the vast ceiling fresco above was increasingly revealed to them.[1]: 54–5
This fresco, the largest in the world,
In preparation for his rendering of the large fresco, Tiepolo sketched a scaled-down version of the work; this sketch is on display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.[8]
Court architect Balthasar Neumann had to fight concerns about the dangers of such an enormous vault. Contrary to the vault with its colors, the stairs and the walls have hardly any decoration at all. While the vault is decorated in the Baroque style, the rest of the staircase is already decorated in the following Neoclassical style.
Neumann originally wanted to add a second staircase on the other side of the White Hall, but this was vetoed by the Prince-Bishop's advisers due to the costs involved.[1]: 55
The staircase was depicted on the back of the final version of 50 Deutsche Mark banknotes, which featured Neumann on the front.
White Hall
The Weisser Saal or White Hall in Rococo style was the audience chamber and is dominated by the stucco decorations of Antonio Bossi.[1]: 55 The white stucco works on a light gray background are composed of a large quantity of rocailles, mixed with images of real items, especially of military purpose.
The lack of gold and colour allows the eye to rest between the splendours of the staircase and the Kaisersaal beyond. Five crystal chandeliers were used to light the room.[1]: 55
Imperial Hall or Kaisersaal
This hall opens to the east from the White Hall and is located in the center of the garden front. It was used to receive visiting dignitaries, including the Emperors-to-be on their voyage to Frankfurt and on the return trip to Vienna. It was created in 1749–51 at enormous cost.[1]: 56
The walls of the Imperial Hall consist of stucco work marble in shades of red, white and yellow. The dome is painted in white colour, decorated with golden stucco work and also frescoes by
Giovanni's son Domenico created the
: 56Southern and Northern Imperial Apartments or Kaiserzimmer
When all the doors are opened between these halls they create an enfilade stretching along the garden front extending a total of 150 meters. These rooms served as reception halls and as accommodation for important guests.[1]: 56
The impact of both apartments is generated by a sequence of rooms of increasing degrees of decoration. The most decorated room of the Southern Apartment is the Spiegelsaal or Mirror Cabinet. Its walls consist entirely of glass panels, decorated on the back using either paintings, or drawings engraved into a gold ground and then underlaid with dark gloss paint. All the paintings and drawings show oriental, especially Chinese, scenes. The southern part also includes the Toskanasaal. The highlight of the Northern Apartment is the Green Lacquered Room. Its multilayered wall coverings consist of a metallic green color decorated with paintings and golden ornaments.
Court Chapel (Hofkirche)
The Court Chapel is a prime example of the sacral Baroque style in Germany. The interior design is dominated by the curving walls and three intergradient oval dome vaults.
It extends upwards through both of the main floors of the Residence. The supporting columns are made from
Court Gardens
The Residence was built when Würzburg was still a fortified town. Therefore, the garden had to be planned within the fortifications. The solution included two bastions of the fortified town wall, using its differences in height to create a very special landscape. From west to east there is a rise in ground, until the level of the wall is reached. Near the residence itself, the Hofgarten (or Court Gardens) is designed in a very formal,
Today
The gardens and representative rooms described above are open to the public. A memorial room is dedicated to the Residence's destruction in March 1945. It also honours Major John Davis Skilton, a "Monuments man" of the U.S. Army who was instrumental in preserving many of the art treasures after his arrival at Würzburg in June 1945.[9]
Most of the rest of the residence is occupied by the Martin von Wagner Museum (moved here in 1963) and organizations of the University of Würzburg.
Some scenes of the 2011 film The Three Musketeers were filmed at Würzburg Residence.
Gallery
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The orangery
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 3-7701-0746-2.
- ^ "Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Residenz Würzburg Zeittafel (German)". Bavarian Administration of State-Owned Palaces, Gardens and Lakes. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
- ^ "Wie kam Tiepolo nach Würzburg ?".
- ^ a b c "Residenz Würzburg Baugeschichte (German)". Bavarian Administration of State-Owned Palaces, Gardens and Lakes. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
- ^ "Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square" (PDF). Paris: International Council on Monuments and Sites. December 31, 1980. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
- ^ Tiepolo, 1696–1770 pages 302.
- ^ "www.metmuseum.org". www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
- ^ "Residenz Würzburg Gedenkraum (German)". Bavarian Administration of State-Owned Palaces, Gardens and Lakes. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
Further reading
- Bayerische Verwaltung der staatlichen Schlösser, Gärten und Seen (Ed.), Residenz und Hofgarten Würzburg, Amtlicher Führer.
- Helmberger, Werner/Mauß, Cordula, So wohnte der Großherzog – Die vergessenen Empiremöbel der Residenz Würzburg, 2014.
- Helmberger, Werner/Staschull, Matthias, Tiepolos Welt – Das Deckenfresko im Treppenhaus der Residenz Würzburg, 2006.
- Helmberger, Werner/Staschull, Matthias, Tiepolos Reich – Fresken und Raumschmuck im Kaisersaal der Residenz Würzburg, 2009.
- Friedrich, Verena, Rokoko in der Residenz Würzburg – Studien zu Ornament und Dekoration des Rokoko in der ehemaligen fürstbischöflichen Residenz zu Würzburg, Reihe Forschungen zur Kunst- und Kulturgeschichte, Vol. IX, 2004.