Wilhelmshohe Palace in Germany
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Wilhelmshohe Palace – Palace of the Landgraves of Hesse-Kassel, towering in the middle of the Wilhelmshohe Mountain Park in the city of Kessel. The palace houses an art museum, the collection of which contains monuments of ancient culture and canvases by old masters. On the site of a modern palace in the XII century there was an Augustinian abbey, later – female Augustinian monastery. During the Reformation, the palace and the surrounding lands were secularized by Philip I, the Hessian landgrave, who only used the castle for hunting. Landgrave Moritz, grandson of Philip I, builds a new castle here in 1606-1610. The building that appears to tourists today was built in 1786-1798. The style of Palladian classicism was proposed by architects Simon-Louis de Rue and Heinrich-Christophe Yussoff. The palace with three wings resembles the park palace buildings of England. Here in 1806-1813, during the Napoleonic rule in Germany, the king of Westphalia, Jerome Bonaparte, lived. Then the future king of France Napoleon III, Charles-Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte visited the palace. Many years later, he was imprisoned here (during his captivity in the Franco-Prussian war). Wilhelmskhohe Palace from 1891 to 1918 was the official residence of the imperial family. However, Emperor Wilhelm II himself found refuge here during various family or political crises. In 1916, the palace housed the High Military Command of the German Empire. In 1945, during the air raids, the palace was badly damaged, and the restoration began only in 1961. From 1948 to 1976, the Museum of Wallpaper and Upholstery housed its collection in the palace, and today it houses much more interesting collections: Antique collection, Art gallery of Old Masters, Cabinet of Graphics. It also hosts frequent themed art exhibitions.     We also recommend reading Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore in Italy, resort of Verona Topic: Wilhelmshohe Palace in Germany. |
