![Offenbach Rumpenheimer Schloss a](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Offenbach_Rumpenheimer_Schloss_a.jpg)
Rumpenheim Castle is a ''
Schloss
''Schloss'' (; pl. ''Schlösser''), formerly written ''Schloß'', is the German term for a building similar to a château, palace, or manor house.
Related terms appear in several Germanic languages. In the Scandinavian languages, the cognate ...
'' located in the banks of the
Main river
Main rivers () are a statutory type of watercourse in England and Wales, usually larger streams and rivers, but also some smaller watercourses. A main river is designated by being marked as such on a main river map, and can include any structure o ...
in the German city of
Offenbach am Main
Offenbach am Main () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Hesse, Germany, on the left bank of the river Main (river), Main. It borders Frankfurt and is part of the Frankfurt urban area and the larger Frankfurt Rhein-Main Regional Aut ...
.
History
The origin of the palace dates back to the manor house of Johann Georg Seifert von Edelsheim, a politician serving the
County of Hanau
The County of Hanau was a territory within the Holy Roman Empire, evolved out of the Lordship of Hanau in 1429. From 1456 to 1642 and from 1685 to 1712 it was divided into the County of Hanau-Münzenberg and the County of Hanau-Lichtenberg. ...
. The main core of the castle, which runs parallel to the Main, roughly corresponds to this manor house. Likewise, Seifert von Edelsheim bought land around the main house, which would end up forming the current palace park.
In 1768, some years after the annexation of the
County of Hanau
The County of Hanau was a territory within the Holy Roman Empire, evolved out of the Lordship of Hanau in 1429. From 1456 to 1642 and from 1685 to 1712 it was divided into the County of Hanau-Münzenberg and the County of Hanau-Lichtenberg. ...
to the
Electorate of Hesse
The Electorate of Hesse (german: Kurfürstentum Hessen), also known as Hesse-Kassel or Kurhessen, was a landgraviate whose prince was given the right to elect the Emperor by Napoleon. When the Holy Roman Empire was abolished in 1806, its prin ...
in 1736, the Seifert family with Edelsheim sold the manor house to
Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel
Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel (, German and ; 19 December 1744 – 17 August 1836) was a cadet member of the house of Hesse-Kassel and a Danish general field marshal. Brought up with relatives at the Danish court, he spent most of his life in Den ...
. In the early 1780s, he sold the palace to his brother
Frederick Frederick may refer to:
People
* Frederick (given name), the name
Nobility
Anhalt-Harzgerode
*Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670)
Austria
* Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198
* Frederi ...
. During the first half of the 19th century, various renovation works were carried out, including the construction of new stables and a new reorganization of the park.
After the conquest of Hesse-Kassel by the Kingdom of Prussia in the context of the
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War, also by many variant names such as Seven Weeks' War, German Civil War, Brothers War or Fraternal War, known in Germany as ("German War"), (; "German war of brothers") and by a variety of other names, was fought in 186 ...
, the palace became the private property of the branch of the House of Hesse descended from the
Prince Frederick of Hesse-Cassel. This branch, known as
Hesse-Kassel-Rumpenheim, continued to live in the palace until 1902, when, due to the marriage of
Prince Frederick Charles
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
to
Princess Margaret of Prussia English: Margaret Beatrice Feodora
, house = Hohenzollern
, father = Frederick III, German Emperor
, mother = Victoria, Princess Royal
, birth_date =
, birth_place = New Palace, Potsdam, Prussia, German Empire
, d ...
, after the death of her mother
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
, dowager of
Frederick III, German Emperor
Frederick III (german: Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl; 18 October 1831 – 15 June 1888), or Friedrich III, was German Emperor and King of Prussia for 99 days between March and June 1888, during the Year of the Three Emperors. Known informa ...
moved to the
castle of Friderichshof.1 It was considered a common property of the sons of Frederick. Frederick's unmarried male children,
Princes Frederick William and
George Charles
Sir George Frederick Lawrence Charles (7 June 1916 – 26 July 2004) was a trade unionist, politician, founder of the Saint Lucia Labour Party and Chief Minister of Saint Lucia (1 January 1960 – 22 April 1964). He is a recipient of Saint Lucia's ...
, died in 1876 and 1881, inhabited the castle on a regular basis.
![Palacio de Schloss Rumpenheim, Germany (2)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Palacio_de_Schloss_Rumpenheim%2C_Germany_%282%29.jpg)
Paradoxically, the second half of the 19th century became a time of splendor for the castle as a destination for the European royalty related to the
House of Hesse-Kassel
The House of Hesse is a European dynasty, directly descended from the House of Brabant. They ruled the region of Hesse, one branch as prince-electors until 1866, and another branch as grand dukes until 1918. Burke's Royal Families of the World, ...
, especially in summer. Among others, the following can be highlighted:
*
Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge
Princess Mary Adelaide Wilhelmina Elizabeth of Cambridge (27 November 1833 – 27 October 1897), later Duchess of Teck, was a member of the British royal family. She was one of the first royals to patronise a wide range of charities.
Mary Ade ...
(daughter of
Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel
Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel (Augusta Wilhelmina Louisa; 25 July 1797 – 6 April 1889) was the wife of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, the tenth-born child, and seventh son, of George III of the United Kingdom and Charlotte of Meckle ...
) and her family, including the then
Princess Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck (Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes; 26 May 186724 March 1953) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 6 May 1910 until 20 January 1936 as the wife of King-Empe ...
, future Queen Consort of the United Kingdom.
*
Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel
da, Louise Wilhelmine Frederikke Caroline Auguste Julie
, succession = Queen consort of Denmark
, image = Louise of Hesse-Kassel.jpg
, reign = 15 November 1863 – 29 September 1898
, spouse =
, issue =
, house = ...
, queen consort of Denmark, her husband,
Christian IX
Christian IX (8 April 181829 January 1906) was King of Denmark from 1863 until his death in 1906. From 1863 to 1864, he was concurrently Duke of Schleswig, Holstein and Lauenburg.
A younger son of Frederick William, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein ...
, and their children, including the future
George I of Greece
George I ( Greek: Γεώργιος Α΄, ''Geórgios I''; 24 December 1845 – 18 March 1913) was King of Greece from 30 March 1863 until his assassination in 1913.
Originally a Danish prince, he was born in Copenhagen, and seemed destined for ...
and
Alexandra
Alexandra () is the feminine form of the given name Alexander (, ). Etymologically, the name is a compound of the Greek verb (; meaning 'to defend') and (; GEN , ; meaning 'man'). Thus it may be roughly translated as "defender of man" or "prot ...
, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom.
![Schloss Rumpenheim - Group](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Schloss_Rumpenheim_-_Group.jpg)
In 1943, the main part of the structure was bombed, as a consequence of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. The building continued to be in a state of ruin and abandonment and was acquired in 1965 from the
House of Hesse
The House of Hesse is a European dynasty, directly descended from the House of Brabant. They ruled the region of Hesse, one branch as prince-electors until 1866, and another branch as grand dukes until 1918. Burke's Royal Families of the World, ...
by the town of Offenbach am Mein. Subsequently, it has been gradually restored and today houses luxury apartments.
Architecture
In its original composition before the restoration after the damage suffered in the Second World War, the palace was made up of a main nucleus parallel to the Main river, of three heights finished off by a last floor under cover. This main body was flanked by two towers that had one more floor than the main body. On the façade opposite the river, the palace had two parallel wings arranged perpendicular to the main façade, forming a ''cour d'honneur''. The wings had a single floor and a floor below deck and were finished off at their final ends with two two-story pavilions and a floor below deck.
The interior was richly decorated with antique furniture.
The palace was characteristically painted white and had slate roofs.
At present, the structure is, in general lines, preserved.
Sources
*
*
References
{{coord, 50.13315, 8.80155, format=dms, type:landmark_region:DE, display=title
Castles in Hesse
House of Hesse-Kassel
Buildings and structures in Offenbach am Main