After the Old Palace burned down, the new town residence (Neues Schloss) for Margrave Friedrich von Brandenburg-Bayreuth was begun by Joseph Saint-Pierre in 1753. Margravine Wilhelmine had considerable influence on its final form, designing some of the rooms herself, including the Cabinet of Fragmented Mirrors and the Old Music Room with its pastel portraits of singers, actors and dancers. The Palm Room with its outstanding walnut panelling is a typical example of the Rococo style in Bayreuth.
On the ground floor of the New Palace today the museums 'Margravine Wilhelmine's Bayreuth' and 'Bayreuth Faience – Rummel Collection' with outstanding items from the Bayreuth Manufactory can be seen. The faience collection covers the whole period of production from its beginnings until 1788. The Gallery Rooms contain Dutch and German paintings from the 18th century.
The rooms of the small but remarkable Italian Palace are an impressive example of the 'Bayreuth rococo' style in its later manifestation with the flower tendrils, trellis rooms and grottos that were its typical features.
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.