Schloss Lieser (Lieser castle) was created on the site of a 1710-built church property. Today's castle was designed by the architect Heinrich Theodor Schmidt in 1884–1887 as the residence for the family of the winery owner Eduard Puricelli. Eduard Puricelli founded and led several gas industries, including in Trier and also in the Rheinböller hut. In 1895/1904-1906 the castle was extended when Maria and Dr Clemens Freiherr von Schorlemer moved into the castle. The castle consists out of two components, the older part in forms of Neo-Renaissance and the younger part in the forms of Art Nouveau.
The outside side is influenced by the Neo-Renaissance, but in outline – according to the architect – Neo-Gothic. The jewellery forms bays, gables and towers are oriented to the German forms of Late Renaissance. The entrance is protected by a tower were two free-standing granite columns rise. The Risalit/Avant-corps on the left side of the main facade is Risalit by large, spread over two floors, is emphasized. The Madonna statue at the corner near the chapel comes from Peter Fuchs, who also worked at the Cologne Cathedral.
The ground plan is located between the Mosel river and the mountains, so that all rooms within the building – as in English country houses - are along a corridor. The basic design of the building with the octagonal hall is based on Italian villas of the 16th (Palladio) and 17th centuries. The ground floor, in which mainly economic areas and the bottling plants were located, has been created very high for flood protection.
In the stairwell between eight large pilasters painted landscapes and architectural motifs from the Mosel region created by Karl Julius Grätz are located. The stairwell window with lead glazing has four painted medallions of Binsfeld and Janssen in Trier. The staircase itself is a self-construction of Trier sandstone with wrought-iron, partly gilded railings.
The first floor is a Beletage with representation rooms. In the octagonal hall, where the stairs end, the sculptor's work, the pillars and the wall panelling have been created in light Burgreppacher sandstone. The ceiling has been plastered and contains several paintings. The first floor contains the rather sober work room, reception room, with pitch pine and oak wood-panelled dining room large with a rich and carved wooden ceiling and several doorframes, the small dining room for everyday use, a poolroom, several garden rooms, guest rooms and a kitchen.
The second floor is the private sector of the house. Is had been equipped with livingrooms, sleepingrooms, tourist rooms and rooms for servants. It also contains a wall table and a marble fireplace. The copper plate of the fireplace has been decorated with a presentation of Hubert Salentin from Düsseldorf.
The hall of Beletage links to the chapel, which is a building on its own. The wallpaintings are by Karl Julius Grätz. The glass paintings are by Binsfeld and Janssen. Peter Fuchs created the saint statues. The mosaic floor with his figural representations was designed by the architect and produced in Mettlach.
A special feature of the paintings is the image originally situated on the terrace sculpture of the wife of the owner. With her old German costume, keys and wallet in hand, it symbolizes allegorical excessive.
References:Saint-Émilion is a picturesque medieval village renowned for its well-preserved architecture and vineyards. The town and surrounding vineyards was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, owing to its long, living history of wine-making, Romanesque churches and ruins stretching all along steep and narrow streets.
An oppidum was built on the hill overlooking the present-day city in Gaulish times, before the regions was annexed by Augustus in 27 BC. The Romans planted vineyards in what was to become Saint-Émilion as early as the 2nd century. In the 4th century, the Latin poet Ausonius lauded the fruit of the bountiful vine.
Because the region was located on the route of the Camino de Santiago, many monasteries and churches were built during the Middle Ages, and in 1199, while under Plantagenet rule, the town was granted full rights.