Masterpiece palace of Baroque neo-classicism - Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square 169
What and Why
Called the 'largest parsonage in Europe' by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Würzburg Residence (German: Residenz Würzburg) is a palace commissioned by the Prince-Bishops of Würzburg Johann von Schönborn in early 18th century CE and completed in 1744 CE. He believed his residence should measure up to his position as an absolute monarch: he was targetting something comparable to the palaces of Versailles or Schönbrunn.
It is still regarded as one of the finest pieces of Baroque art in the world. The design of the palace was largely credited to its principal architect Balthasar Neumann, who incorporated Baroque / Rococo or neo-classical architecture and art into the palace. The court garden, in spite of a much smaller size compared to the counterparts of Versailles or Caserta, is just as majestic and royal. The palace also contains the world largest fresco at its grand staircase (Treppenhaus).
Toponymy
Würzburg derives from High German mean spice (würz) - hill (burg)
See
Residenz Würzburg
Fairly similar to its contemporaries, the palace is built in a rectangular shape, enclosing the royal courtyard (French: cour d'honneur). The interior of the palace includes multiple state-rooms, but unfortunately photography is prohibited.
The grand staircase atrium is one of the main highlights of the palace. The fresco that adorns the vault on the ceiling is the largest in the world and shows paintings of the four continents: Europe, Asia, America and Africa. This fresco is drawn by Giovanni Tiepolo. In preparation for his rendering of the large fresco, Tiepolo sketched a scaled-down version of the work, which is on display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The other centrepiece of the palace is the luxurious imperial hall (Kaisersaal), the main room to receive foreign dignitaries. The main paintings testify the close relationship between Würzburg and the Holy Roman Empire (Latin: Sacrum Imperium Romanum).
Court chapel (Hofkirche) is another very richly decorated and ornate.
Court garden (Hofgarten)
Near the residence itself, the court gardens (Hofgarten) is designed in a Baroque style. Farther away, the style changes to an English garden with small meadows. This is the only picture that is taken by me as the interior of the palace forbids photography.
Würzburg
Würzburg is picturesque town with a strong Franconian flair.
The Saint Kilian Church (Dom Sankt Kilian), Marienkapelle and Neumünster Kirche are three very beautiful cathedrals that deserve a visit.
In front of the townhouse (Rathaus), there are many alphorn performers. From the main town centre (Altstadt), you can walk up to Festung Marienberg, which is another fortress.
Getting There and Around
The entrance fee to the Residenz is EUR 7.50€. It is a very pleasant walk between the Residenz to Altstadt. The train station is right behind the Hofgarten. A good half-day visit.
UNESCO Inscription
This magnificent Baroque palace – one of the largest and most beautiful in Germany and surrounded by wonderful gardens – was created under the patronage of the prince-bishops Lothar Franz and Friedrich Carl von Schönborn. It was built and decorated in the 18th century by an international team of architects, painters (including Tiepolo), sculptors and stucco-workers, led by Balthasar Neumann.
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