The Museum im Kulturspeicher Würzburg is a municipal art museum opened in 2002 within a converted river-side warehouse that provides 3,500 m² of exhibit space in 12 rooms. It contains two distinct collections: the municipal art collection, founded in 1941 as the Städtische Gallerie and originally located in Hofstraße; and the Peter C. Ruppert Collection of European concrete art from World War II to the present day.
The municipal collection exhibits regional art, primarily from Franconia and Southern Germany, ranging from Biedermeier-style portraits and landscapes of the first half of the 19th century, through German impressionism and painters of the Berlin Secession, including Robert Breyer, Philipp Franck, Walter Leistikow, Joseph Oppenheimer, and Max Slevogt, as well as members of the Weimar Saxon-Grand Ducal Art School including Ludwig von Gleichen-Rußwurm and Franz Bunke. It also includes works by Bauhaus painter Hans Reichel and works from the estate of sculptor Emy Roeder, as well as about 30,000 graphics works.
The Ruppert collection includes concrete art from 22 European countries, incorporating a broad spectrum of materials and media, exhibited within six galleries. Artists include Max Bill, John Carter, Andreas Christen, Ralph Eck, Christoph Freimann, Gerhard von Graevenitz, Erwin Heerich, Malcolm Hughes, Norbert Kricke, Richard Paul Lohse, Maurizio Nannucci, Nausika Pastra, Henry Prosi, Bridget Riley, Peter Sedgley, and Anton Stankowski.
References:The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.
In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.