Stadtschloss, Wiesbaden
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Wiesbaden City Palace (german: Stadtschloss Wiesbaden or ''Wiesbadener Stadtschloss'') is a neo-classical building in the center of
Wiesbaden Wiesbaden () is a city in central western Germany and the capital of the state of Hesse. , it had 290,955 inhabitants, plus approximately 21,000 United States citizens (mostly associated with the United States Army). The Wiesbaden urban area ...
,
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. It was completed in 1841 as the principal city residence of the
Dukes of Nassau Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
. The palace has several wings, 145 rooms, and is architecturally integrated with a group of ancillary buildings constructed both before and after it was built. With ornate towers, gables and a slate roof laid in herringbone patterns, the three-story complex lends charm and its name to the central square of Wiesbaden:
Palace Square Palace Square ( rus, Дворцо́вая пло́щадь, r=Dvortsovaya Ploshchad, p=dvɐˈrtsovəjə ˈploɕːɪtʲ), connecting Nevsky Prospekt with Palace Bridge leading to Vasilievsky Island, is the central city square of St Petersburg a ...
(german: link=no, Schloßplatz).Dr. Rolf Faber: "Biebrich, Usingen, Wiesbaden: Geschichte und Pracht nassauischer Schlösser" (English: History and Splendor of the Nassau Palaces) In: ''Jahrbuch des Rheingau-Taunus-Kries'' (Bad Schwalbach: District Committee of Rheingau-Taunus, 2001
Online Summary at nassau-info.de
Retrieved 23 April 2012
The Palace has had a turbulent history. After withstanding the
Revolutions of 1848 The Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Springtime of the Peoples or the Springtime of Nations, were a series of political upheavals throughout Europe starting in 1848. It remains the most widespread revolutionary wave in Europea ...
and annexation by Prussia in 1866, it has served variously as a second home of the
German Emperors The German Emperor (german: Deutscher Kaiser, ) was the official title of the head of state and hereditary ruler of the German Empire. A specifically chosen term, it was introduced with the 1 January 1871 constitution and lasted until the offi ...
, a gathering place for soldiers and workers during the
German Revolution of 1918–1919 The German Revolution or November Revolution (german: Novemberrevolution) was a civil conflict in the German Empire at the end of the First World War that resulted in the replacement of the German federal constitutional monarchy with a dem ...
, a museum, and a military headquarters for both the
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
and Allied occupation forces. Damaged during World War II, the Palace has since been restored and portions modernized. Since 1946, it has been the seat of the State Parliament of
Hesse Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major histor ...
(german: link=no, Hessischer Landtag).Wiesbaden City Palace History
on the official website of the City of Wiesbaden (in English), retrieved 25 April 2012.
A new Parliamentary Chamber was added to the complex in 2008.Plenary Hall
Official website Retrieved 25 April 2012


History


Early beginnings

The site where the City Palace now stands has been the center of political power in
Wiesbaden Wiesbaden () is a city in central western Germany and the capital of the state of Hesse. , it had 290,955 inhabitants, plus approximately 21,000 United States citizens (mostly associated with the United States Army). The Wiesbaden urban area ...
for centuries. It was first occupied by a castle from the
Early Middle Ages The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th or early 6th century to the 10th century. They marked the start of the Mi ...
around which the
medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
city developed. By 1236 the
Counts of Nassau Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
were already in residence, when there is a record of
Holy Roman Emperor The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperat ...
Friedrich II Frederick II, Frederik II or Friedrich II may refer to: * Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor (1194–1250), King of Sicily from 1198; Holy Roman Emperor from 1220 * Frederick II of Denmark (1534–1588), king of Denmark and Norway 1559–1588 * Fr ...
celebrating Pentecost in the castle church. During this time the city enjoyed the status of
Reichsstadt In the Holy Roman Empire, the collective term free and imperial cities (german: Freie und Reichsstädte), briefly worded free imperial city (', la, urbs imperialis libera), was used from the fifteenth century to denote a self-ruling city that ...
(Free Imperial City), but only briefly. In subsequent wars Wiesbaden was completely destroyed and rebuilt at least three times. During the
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
the city became a notable spa town, and Philipp Ludwig III commissioned construction of a New City Palace, completed in 1599. This renewal was not to last, however. The lands of the
House of Nassau The House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The lords of Nassau were originally titled "Count o ...
were reshuffled in inheritances and as lines died out. The
Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (80 ...
again devastated the city, with chronicles recording that by 1648 it had barely 40 residents left. In the 1700s,
Schloss Biebrich Biebrich Palace (german: link=no, Schloss Biebrich) is a Baroque residence (''Schloss'') in the borough of Biebrich in the city of Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany. Built in 1702 by Prince Georg August Samuel of Nassau-Idstein, it served as the ducal ...
(the "Versailles on the Rhine" on the outskirts of Wiesbaden) became a principal residence of the line of Nassau-Idstein and the City Palace fell into disuse.Eckhart G. Franz: ''The Chronicle of Hesse.'' (Dortmund: Chronik Verlag, 1991)
Online Summary at nassau-info.de
Retrieved 25 April 2012
Little is known about the extent of the old original Castle, but remains of a tower dating back as early as the
Frankish Frankish may refer to: * Franks, a Germanic tribe and their culture ** Frankish language or its modern descendants, Franconian languages * Francia, a post-Roman state in France and Germany * East Francia, the successor state to Francia in Germany ...
period (481–800 CE) were discovered in 1952 during reconstruction of adjacent buildings damaged in the Second World War.''Schlösser, Burgen, alte Mauern'' (English: Palaces, Castles, Old Walls), (Wiesbaden: Herausgegeben vom Hessendienst der Staatskanzlei, 1990) p. 371f.


City Residence of the Duchy of Nassau 1841–1866

In 1806, the counties of
Nassau-Usingen Nassau-Usingen was a county of the Holy Roman Empire in the Upper Rhenish Circle that became a principality in 1688. The origin of the county lies in the medieval county of Weilnau that was acquired by the counts of Nassau-Weilburg in 1602. Tha ...
and
Nassau-Weilburg The House of Nassau-Weilburg, a branch of the House of Nassau, ruled a division of the County of Nassau, which was a state in what is now Germany, then part of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1344 to 1806. On 17 July 1806, upon the dissolution of t ...
merged to form the
Duchy of Nassau The Duchy of Nassau (German: ''Herzogtum Nassau'') was an independent state between 1806 and 1866, located in what is now the German states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse. It was a member of the Confederation of the Rhine and later of the G ...
at the insistence of
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
.
Frederick Augustus, Duke of Nassau Friedrich August, Duke of Nassau, Prince of Nassau-Usingen (23 April 1738 in Usingen – 24 March 1816 in Wiesbaden) was the last Prince of Nassau-Usingen and, jointly with his cousin, Friedrich Wilhelm of Nassau-Weilburg, first Duke of Nassau. ...
, became the ducal
head of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
. After the defeat of Napoleon, the Duchy of Nassau joined the
German Confederation The German Confederation (german: Deutscher Bund, ) was an association of 39 predominantly German-speaking sovereign states in Central Europe. It was created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 as a replacement of the former Holy Roman Empire, w ...
at the
Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna (, ) of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon B ...
in 1815. The capital moved from
Weilburg Weilburg is, with just under 13,000 inhabitants, the third biggest town in Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse, Germany, after Limburg an der Lahn and Bad Camberg. Geography Location The community lies in the Lahn valley between the Westerwa ...
to
Wiesbaden Wiesbaden () is a city in central western Germany and the capital of the state of Hesse. , it had 290,955 inhabitants, plus approximately 21,000 United States citizens (mostly associated with the United States Army). The Wiesbaden urban area ...
and the city became the ducal residence. When Frederick died childless in 1816, the dukedom was transferred to the line of Nassau-Weilburg. His cousin Wilhelm of Nassau-Weilburg became
Wilhelm, Duke of Nassau Wilhelm (Given names: ''Georg Wilhelm August Heinrich Belgicus''; 14 June 1792, Kirchheimbolanden – 20/30 August 1839, Bad Kissingen) was joint sovereign Duke of Nassau, along with his father's cousin Frederick Augustus, reigning from 1816 unt ...
and moved from Weilburg into
Schloss Biebrich Biebrich Palace (german: link=no, Schloss Biebrich) is a Baroque residence (''Schloss'') in the borough of Biebrich in the city of Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany. Built in 1702 by Prince Georg August Samuel of Nassau-Idstein, it served as the ducal ...
on the outskirts of Wiesbaden.Klaus Kopp: "Die Herzöge von Nassau zwischen Revolution und Restauration" (English: The Duchy of Nassau between Restoration and Revolution" In: ''Yearbook of the Rheingau-Taunus-Kries'' (Bad Schwalbach: District Committee of Rheingau-Taunus, 2001)
Online Summary at nassau-info.de
Retrieved 25 April 2012
By 1826, extensive building began to give the new capital city a magnificent appearance and in 1830 plans were laid to move the ducal residence into the city. Initially, a site on the Luisenplatz was considered, which was then still on the outskirts. However, the Duke felt it important to live amidst his subjects, so a central location on the
Market Square The market square (or sometimes, the market place) is a Town square, square meant for trading, in which a market is held. It is an important feature of many towns and cities around the world.Wilhelm I William I or Wilhelm I (german: Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig; 22 March 1797 – 9 March 1888) was King of Prussia from 2 January 1861 and German Emperor from 18 January 1871 until his death in 1888. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he was the f ...
engaged his Senior Architect
Georg Moller Georg Moller (21 January 1784 – 13 March 1852) was an architect and a town planner who worked in the South of Germany, mostly in the region today known as Hessen. Life and family background Moller was born in Diepholz, a descendant of an old ...
to design the new City Palace. Several buildings were acquired on the north side of the square and in 1837 the foundation stone was laid. Duke Wilhelm would not live to its completion; He died of a stroke on 20 August 1839 while "taking the cure" at
Bad Kissingen Bad Kissingen is a German spa town in the Bavarian region of Lower Franconia and seat of the district Bad Kissingen. Situated to the south of the Rhön Mountains on the Franconian Saale river, it is one of the health resorts, which be ...
. His son Adolph I, Duke of Nassau became the Palace's first and only ducal resident in 1841. He lived there during the winter and in summers resided at
Schloss Biebrich Biebrich Palace (german: link=no, Schloss Biebrich) is a Baroque residence (''Schloss'') in the borough of Biebrich in the city of Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany. Built in 1702 by Prince Georg August Samuel of Nassau-Idstein, it served as the ducal ...
. During the
Revolutions of 1848 The Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Springtime of the Peoples or the Springtime of Nations, were a series of political upheavals throughout Europe starting in 1848. It remains the most widespread revolutionary wave in Europea ...
a national uprising began in many German States. On 4 March 1848 it spread to the Duchy, when a third of the male population of some 30,000 angry citizens gathered in front of the City Palace to demand confirmation of the
Nine Claims of Nassau 9 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 9 or nine may also refer to: Dates * AD 9, the ninth year of the AD era * 9 BC, the ninth year before the AD era * 9, numerical symbol for the month of September Places * Nine, Portugal, a parish in the ...
, an early
Bill of Rights A bill of rights, sometimes called a declaration of rights or a charter of rights, is a list of the most important rights to the citizens of a country. The purpose is to protect those rights against infringement from public officials and pri ...
. With the crowd threatening to storm the Palace, Adolph rushed back to Wiesbaden from Berlin, where he had been consulting on the crisis. He rescued his monarchy at the last minute by walking, unguarded and in uniform, through the crowds from the railroad station to the City Palace. He announced his assent to their demands from the balcony and the menacing riot turned into a celebration. In April 1848, the Duke appointed the liberal politician August Hergenhahn as his Prime Minister and several advanced laws were enacted. While Adolph did not fulfill all his promises, and some were not adopted until 1861, by enacting important reforms he enjoyed a longer reign and the respect of the population.


Prussian Royal Residence 1866–1918

In 1866, Adolph fatefully supported the Austrian side in the Second Austro-Prussian War, which lost. The
Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia (german: Königreich Preußen, ) was a German kingdom that constituted the state of Prussia between 1701 and 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Re ...
annexed the Duchy as a war prize, sent the Duke into exile and took possession of the Wiesbaden City Palace. It was then used as a residence by Emperor
Wilhelm I William I or Wilhelm I (german: Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig; 22 March 1797 – 9 March 1888) was King of Prussia from 2 January 1861 and German Emperor from 18 January 1871 until his death in 1888. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he was the f ...
and the adjacent Kaiser-Wilhelm Sanatorium, built in 1871 as a military hospital, was named in his honor. Wilhem's grandson,
Kaiser Wilhelm II Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor (german: Kaiser) and List of monarchs of Prussia, King of Prussia, reigning from 15 June 1888 until Abdication of Wilhelm II, his abdication on 9 ...
, then made the palace a regular summer home. He resided there annually with his staff and members of the
Hohenzollern The House of Hohenzollern (, also , german: Haus Hohenzollern, , ro, Casa de Hohenzollern) is a German royal (and from 1871 to 1918, imperial) dynasty whose members were variously princes, electors, kings and emperors of Hohenzollern, Brandenb ...
family. Wiesbaden experienced tremendous growth and became an international resort, with the population increasing from 35,500 in 1871 to 100,000 by 1905.Compact History of Wiesbaden
on the official website of the City of Wiesbaden, retrieved 25 April 2012.
Near the Palace numerous new important buildings were constructed, including a New Town Hall (1897), the Hessian State Theater (1894), the
Kurhaus Kurhaus (German for "spa house" or "health resort") may refer to: * Kurhaus of Baden-Baden in Germany * Kurhaus, Wiesbaden in Germany * Kurhaus, Meran in South Tyrol, Italy * Kurhaus of Scheveningen in the Netherlands * Kurhaus Bergün, a grand ho ...
(1907) and the Central Railway Station (1906).


Military Administrative Center 1918–1946

After Germany's defeat in World War I and the monarchy collapsed, the palace was used for a variety of purposes. It initially became home to the local Workers' and Soldiers' Council during the
German Revolution of 1918-1919 German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
. Later it was used as the supreme headquarters of the French Occupation Armies during the Allied
Occupation of the Rhineland The Occupation of the Rhineland from 1 December 1918 until 30 June 1930 was a consequence of the collapse of the Imperial German Army in 1918, after which Germany's provisional government was obliged to agree to the terms of the 1918 armist ...
. In 1925, the palace became the headquarters of
British Army of the Rhine There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine (BAOR). Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War and the other after the Second World War. Both formations had areas of responsibility located a ...
. After the withdrawal of occupying forces in 1930, the building came into the possession of the Prussian State Administration of Palaces (german: link=no, Preußischen Staatlichen Schlösserverwaltung) and was converted into a museum. During World War II, the building complex became the
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
's General Headquarters for Wehrkreis (Military District) XII under the command of ''
General der Infanterie General of the Infantry is a military rank of a General officer in the infantry and refers to: * General of the Infantry (Austria) * General of the Infantry (Bulgaria) * General of the Infantry (Germany) ('), a rank of a general in the German Imper ...
''
Walther Schroth __NOTOC__ Walther Schroth (3 June 1882 – 6 October 1944) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Schroth served on the "Court of Military Honour," a drumh ...
. This region included the
Eifel The Eifel (; lb, Äifel, ) is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the southern area of the German-speaking Community of ...
, part of
Hesse Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major histor ...
, the Palatinate, and the
Saarland The Saarland (, ; french: Sarre ) is a state of Germany in the south west of the country. With an area of and population of 990,509 in 2018, it is the smallest German state in area apart from the city-states of Berlin, Bremen, and Hamburg, and ...
. After Germany's victory in the
Battle of France The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of French Third Rep ...
in 1940, ''Wehrkreis XII'' was expanded to include the Grand Duchy of
Luxembourg Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...
and the
Lorraine Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gr ...
Region, including Nancy. In the immediate aftermath of World War II, the
US Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
used the partially ruined building as its headquarters.


Seat of the Landtag since 1946

In 1946, Wiesbaden became the capital of the newly created
State of Hesse Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major historic cities are Darm ...
and the Palace became the seat of the
Hessian Landtag The Landtag of Hesse (german: link=no, Hessischer Landtag) is the unicameral parliament of the State of Hesse in the Federal Republic of Germany. It convenes in the Stadtschloss in Wiesbaden. As a legislature it is responsible for passing l ...
. The Landtag met for the first time in the largest room of the House, the Music Hall, on 1 December 1946. In 1959 the former Royal Riding Hall in the courtyard was demolished and a new
Plenary Chamber A debate chamber is a room for people to discuss and debate. Debate chambers are used in governmental and educational bodies, such as a parliament, congress, city council, or a university, either for formal proceedings or for informal discourse, ...
built in its place. The Palace's historic rooms were preserved and used for receptions. Ancillary buildings around the Palace were redeveloped for use by the Landtag administration. In 1975 the editorial staff of Hessian Radio (german: link=no,
Hessischer Rundfunk Hessischer Rundfunk (HR; "Hesse Broadcasting") is the German state of Hesse's public broadcasting, public broadcasting corporation. Headquartered in Frankfurt, it is a member of the national consortium of German public broadcasting corporations, ...
) moved into the complex to better cover State politics and also opened a TV studio there.HR Wiesbaden Studios
Official website , retrieved 25 April 2012.
In the late 1990s plans began to construct a new building to replace the outdated Plenary Chamber. The
Bundestag The Bundestag (, "Federal Diet") is the German federal parliament. It is the only federal representative body that is directly elected by the German people. It is comparable to the United States House of Representatives or the House of Commons ...
wanted to build a transparent glass Hall on the Schlossplatz between the Palace and the Marktkirche in the architectural style of the Federal buildings in
Bonn The federal city of Bonn ( lat, Bonna) is a city on the banks of the Rhine in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with a population of over 300,000. About south-southeast of Cologne, Bonn is in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ruhr r ...
. That project was halted due to cost as well as protests from the population about the building's appropriateness. The Federal Design Office then advertised an architectural competition and ''Waechter + Waechter'' of
Darmstadt Darmstadt () is a city in the States of Germany, state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Area, Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it th ...
won. Their proposal for a low-profile building inside the courtyard behind the Palace's facade was designed preserve the historic character of the Schloßplatz. This was approved and the old Plenary Chamber was demolished in 2004. The City Palace became a construction site for the next four years and on 4 April 2008 parliament moved into its new home.Plenary Chamber project
Official website Retrieved 25 April 2012


Architecture


Building complex

Today the
Hessian Landtag The Landtag of Hesse (german: link=no, Hessischer Landtag) is the unicameral parliament of the State of Hesse in the Federal Republic of Germany. It convenes in the Stadtschloss in Wiesbaden. As a legislature it is responsible for passing l ...
occupies the original Ducal Palace and several adjacent buildings aligned to the Schloßplatz. These include the Kavaliershaus and former Kaiser-Wilhelms Sanatorium, today referred to as the Wilhelmsbau. Inside the inner courtyard of the Castle is the
Plenary Chamber A debate chamber is a room for people to discuss and debate. Debate chambers are used in governmental and educational bodies, such as a parliament, congress, city council, or a university, either for formal proceedings or for informal discourse, ...
of the Landtag, opened in 2008. All located in the Historical Pentagon.


Ducal palace


Structure and exterior

The main neo-classical palace building consists of an outwardly simple but elegant three-story structure with two wings arranged in a blunt angle. Its most prominent architectural feature is the connecting corner between the two wings, which takes the form of a cylinder. Here the architect
Georg Moller Georg Moller (21 January 1784 – 13 March 1852) was an architect and a town planner who worked in the South of Germany, mostly in the region today known as Hessen. Life and family background Moller was born in Diepholz, a descendant of an old ...
, a disciple of Friedrich Weinbrenner, and master builder Richard Goerz placed the main entrance. Both wings hold up a balcony on the first floor (for Americans, the second floor). This skirts around the cylinder on six columns, above which the
coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
of the
House of Nassau The House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The lords of Nassau were originally titled "Count o ...
is prominently displayed. The facades are covered in white stucco, with ornate cornices and window frames standing out from the background in grey. Smaller windows are arranged in a row above the upper eaves, behind which were once the rooms for domestic staff. A third diagonal wing, housing the main staircase (german: link=no, Haupttreppenhaus), bisects the angle between the two main wings. This connects to the Middle Building (german: link=no, Mittelbau) which forms a central courtyard. A conservatory or "winter garden", in the shape of an arc, connects the ends of all three wings. This intersection forms two triangular-shaped inner courtyards. In order to reinforce the impression of space, the building's 145 rooms were arranged such that they could only be reached over long distances.Rolf Bidlingmaier: ''Das Stadtschloss in Wiesbaden: Residenz der Herzöge von Nassau'' (Schnell & Steiner Verlag, 1st edition, 2012)


Interiors

The main entrance of the corner tower connects to the so-called Small Rotunda, with a mosaic parquet floor of eight different woods, mother-of-pearl and brass. This further leads through the diagonal wing to the main staircase, behind which is a large Dome Hall and the Mittelbau. The Right and Left wings accommodated the luxurious main rooms of the ducal apartments, decorated in exotic woods on doors, floors and furniture. Many statues adorn the corridors and gold-plated bronze candlesticks were placed throughout the rooms. Painted wallpapers in various motifs of the day, including recently exposed wall paintings of Pompeii, are especially precious. During World War II the interiors of the right wing, consisting of the wardrobe and bath of the Duchess, were completely destroyed.


Left wing

The most impressive surviving rooms of the Palace are on the 1st floor in the left wing. Here is the Red Salon, with walls covered in red silk wallpaper between stucco marble. The room has elaborate ceiling decoration, parquet floors, and paintings in the romantic style. This room connects to the Yellow Salon, the former breakfast room. It is in a similar design to the Red Salon, except the furniture is gold-plated and the wall treatments are in yellow. An adjoining small hall extends over two floors. These walls are decorated with Roman dancers, for which the young architect Philipp Hoffmann dedicated half a year from drawings he had made on site in
Pompeii Pompeii (, ) was an ancient city located in what is now the ''comune'' of Pompei near Naples in the Campania region of Italy. Pompeii, along with Herculaneum and many villas in the surrounding area (e.g. at Boscoreale, Stabiae), was buried ...
. There is also a buffet room with a seating arrangement in the
Louis XVI style Louis XVI style, also called ''Louis Seize'', is a style of architecture, furniture, decoration and art which developed in France during the 19-year reign of Louis XVI (1774–1793), just before the French Revolution. It saw the final phase of t ...
.


Dome Hall and Winter Garden

The diagonal wing connects from the main entrance and Small Rotunda to the main staircase. It is barrel-vaulted with six statues of
Greco-Roman The Greco-Roman civilization (; also Greco-Roman culture; spelled Graeco-Roman in the Commonwealth), as understood by modern scholars and writers, includes the geographical regions and countries that culturally—and so historically—were di ...
gods in niches. The banister is made of fire-gilded bronze with the coat of arms of the
House of Nassau The House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The lords of Nassau were originally titled "Count o ...
. The Dome Hall adjoining the staircase was originally the dining room and is crowned with skylights. A large chandelier in the center of the dome was brought from
Schloss Biebrich Biebrich Palace (german: link=no, Schloss Biebrich) is a Baroque residence (''Schloss'') in the borough of Biebrich in the city of Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany. Built in 1702 by Prince Georg August Samuel of Nassau-Idstein, it served as the ducal ...
in 1930, weighing 980 kg and consisting of 24,000 crystals. In two side niches of the Dome Hall are two statues made of
Carrara marble Carrara marble, Luna marble to the Romans, is a type of white or blue-grey marble popular for use in sculpture and building decor. It has been quarried since Roman times in the mountains just outside the city of Carrara in the province of Massa ...
and a floor of elaborate parquet. Right and left of the Dome Hall stretches the glass-enclosed "Winter Garden". Here, in rooms decorated with painted ceilings, the Duke bred exotic plants. At the acquisition of the Palace by Prussia in 1866 the plants, together with the greenhouse collection at Schloss Biebrich, were sold to the city of
Frankfurt Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , "Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its na ...
and form the basis of its
Palmengarten The Palmengarten is one of three botanical gardens in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It is located in the Westend (Frankfurt am Main), Westend-Süd district. It covers a surface of 22 hectares. It is a major tourist attraction. History Like ma ...
.


Mittelbau

The "Middle Building" houses the largest room of the Palace, the ''Music Hall''. It has wall paintings of oil on stucco, five side Windows and a shell-shaped niche on the South side. Here the Landtag convened until the completion of the first Plenary Chamber in 1962. Today, the room serves as a concert hall and during Parliamentary sessions as a foyer. The
Minister-President A minister-president or minister president is the head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments with a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of government where they preside over the council of ministers. It ...
uses the neighboring cabinet rooms during sessions. In the presidential lounge are late
Rococo Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...
furniture and a painting of Duke Adolf with his brothers Prince Maurice and Prince Nicholas.


Gentleman's House and Wilhelmsbau

Two other buildings adjoin the right wing of the Palace and form part of the Palace complex. These are the Kavaliershaus (Gentleman's House) and the Wilhelmsbau (Wilhelm building). The Gentleman's House had already been built in 1826 by a roofer's master called Konrad Kalb as a residence and place of business, with a drugstore, hardware store and book printer's. This was acquired in 1836 by the Duke for incorporation into the Palace and became the offices of his
Majordomo A majordomo is a person who speaks, makes arrangements, or takes charge for another. Typically, this is the highest (''major'') person of a household (''domūs'' or ''domicile'') staff, a head servant who acts on behalf of the owner of a large ...
. The facade is in an austere neo-classical style and today serves as the main entrance for the Landtag. The Wilhelmsbau was added to the complex in 1871, originally as a military hospital named after Emperor
Wilhelm I William I or Wilhelm I (german: Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig; 22 March 1797 – 9 March 1888) was King of Prussia from 2 January 1861 and German Emperor from 18 January 1871 until his death in 1888. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he was the f ...
. It has a red facade with colossal bust of its namesake and two tower-shaped corners. Both buildings were severely damaged in World War II, and only the facades were restored. From 1951 the Wilhelmsbau housed 400 employees of the Federal Statistical Office and after further modernization in 1988 it was taken over by the Landtag.


Plenary chamber


First Chamber 1962

A riding hall had adjoined the inner courtyard of the original palace. This was demolished in 1959 and replaced from 1960 to 1962 with a new building that served the function of a parliamentary chamber. The room was hexagonal, had no windows and was fitted with wood paneling on the interior walls. The dominant element was the Lion of Hesse made of limestone at the front. Lacking natural light, the room quickly became inadequate for the growing number of MPs and in particular the approximately 50,000 annual visitors. Outwardly, it was also an oddity in the historic old town. It was torn down in 2004 to make way for new construction.


New Chamber 2008

The demolished old chamber was replaced by a new design by architects ''Waechter + Waechter''. While
modernist Modernism is both a philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new forms of art, philosophy, an ...
, it is a more open building that meets the requirements of today's Parliament. It has a transparent viewing area open to the public, a visitor center and an exhibition space covering the history of the Landtag. The new building is smaller than its predecessor and is based on the dimensions of the old riding hall, thereby fitting in better with surrounding buildings and the Palace's limestone facade. Construction began in 2004 and during this period Parliament met at the New Town Hall directly opposite. The new plenary chamber was officially opened on 4 April 2008. A day later, the constituent meeting of the new Parliament took place after the Landtag election.


Today's use of the Palace

The palace complex serves as a place of work for the 118 elected MPs of the Hessian State Parliament. The historic rooms of the ducal palace itself are used for official receptions of President of the Parliament (german: link=no, Landtagspräsident), as well as for other celebrations. The former Music Hall is also used for public events and concerts. In the adjacent buildings – Gentleman's House, Wilhelmsbau and the former Administrative Court – the MP's offices and State Parliament administration are housed. There are also meeting rooms for committees and facilities for press conferences. The Parliament restaurant is housed in the basement. The Hessian State Government chaired by the
Minister-President A minister-president or minister president is the head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments with a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of government where they preside over the council of ministers. It ...
also has rooms which can be used during the plenary sessions. Additionally there are facilities for accommodating visitors who participate in the public meetings of the Landtag. The plenary hall has a large foyer, a public gallery, and an information center on the history of the Parliament.Hessian Landtag
Official website Retrieved 25 April 2012
Today the Wilhelmbau houses the Wiesbaden studios of
Hessischer Rundfunk Hessischer Rundfunk (HR; "Hesse Broadcasting") is the German state of Hesse's public broadcasting, public broadcasting corporation. Headquartered in Frankfurt, it is a member of the national consortium of German public broadcasting corporations, ...
and a well-known room used for national press conferences.


References


Literature

* ''Baedeker Wiesbaden Rheingau'' (Ostfildern-Kemnat: Karl Baedeker GmbH, 2001). * Gottfried Kiesow: ''Das verkannte Jahrhundert. Der Historismus am Beispiel Wiesbaden'' (Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz, 2005). * Winfried Schüler: ''Das Herzogtum Nassau 1806–1866. Deutsche Geschichte im Kleinformat'' (Wiesbaden: Historische Kommission für Nassau, 2006). {{Authority control Castles in Hesse Houses completed in 1841 Government buildings completed in 1841 House of Nassau Buildings and structures in Wiesbaden German Landtag buildings Culture in Wiesbaden Tourist attractions in Wiesbaden Royal residences in Hesse