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:The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.