Ellwangen Palace, Ellwangen (Jagst), Germany

Ellwangen Palace is a prominent landmark and a symbol of the town of Ellwangen.

Perched imperiously on a ridge overlooking the former monastery town of Ellwangen, the palace was first mentioned in historical records in 1266. Known as the abbots’ castle, the fortified structure provided a grand home to the abbots of the Benedictine monastery in Ellwangen. The old walls of the castle complex, dating back to the time of the Medieval Hohenstaufen dynasty, are still partly visible. However, in later years, Ellwangen’s prince-abbots altered, expanded and renovated their residence with astounding regularity.

Between 1603 and 1608, the palace was remodelled in Renaissance style, on the orders of Prince-Provost Johann Christoph I von Westerstetten. This design – a four-sided structure built on a trapezium-shaped floorplan, with towers in all four corners – still defines the appearance of the complex today. The Arkadenhof, a courtyard bounded by three stories of elegant arcaded balconies, is a remarkable architectural achievement.

After a fire a century later, the palace was renovated in the Baroque style. In addition to lavishly redecorated interiors, the new features included a double staircase, completed in 1726, a mansard roof on the main building, and the majestic Thronsaal (throne room).

In the early 19th century, many church territories were officially annexed by German states. As a result, Ellwangen Palace passed into the possession of the royal family of Württemberg. In 1815 and 1816, the banished king of Westphalia, Jérôme Bonaparte – a brother of Napoleon – and his wife Katharina, the daughter of the king of Württemberg, had some rooms refurbished prior to taking up residence.

Today, the palace provides an atmospheric setting for theatre performances, which take place here every year throughout the summer. The former rooms of the prince-provosts were converted into a museum in 1908. Both the Throne Room, which is often used for concerts due to its excellent acoustics, and the Tower Room provide a unique view of the town of Ellwangen.

References:

schloesser-und-gaerten.de

User Reviews

Richard Williams (2 years ago)
On the night of October 30, 2023 at 7pm, while walking around the outside of the castle, my girlfriend and I stopped to take a picture of the night lights of Ellwangen. It was a little misty rainy, I got on my knee and purposed. She said yes! How many men get the opportunity to purpose to their love in a beautiful and ancient castle?

Andrea (2 years ago)
Beautiful castle, but it was closed at the moment of our visit, so we can see only outdoor and excellent views

Jochen Kappel (3 years ago)
Great view over the town and region.

S Serenomy (4 years ago)
The museum is in Sommer Ferien until 12'th of September. But you can go inside the castle anyway.

Dr. Ajenkya Shinde (4 years ago)
It’s one of the most beautiful and amazingly well maintained castles in this region. It’s a must visit. And when you are in the castle don’t forget to visit the in castle museum of History of the Region and puppets. I truly loved this place and visit it often.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright discopalace

Historic Site of the week

Sigmaringen Castle

Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.

The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.

These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.

Ellwangen Palace

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Sigmaringen Castle