New Palace Herrenchiemsee

1 new palace

1.1 building history
1.2 design
1.3 gardens

new palace
building history

front of new palace

in 1867 young king ludwig ii had traveled france had return bavaria when heard of death of uncle otto, without opportunity visit palace of versailles. nevertheless concerned residence of king louis xiv of france (his namesake) , had plans similar retreat drafted court architect georg von dollmann (1830–1895). possible building sites chosen in graswang valley near ettal, later site of linderhof palace.

after several revisions, dollmann s designs former pavilion resembling grand trianon or château de marly had grown large palace, including copy of versailles hall of mirrors. construction halted aoutbreak of franco-prussian war in 1870. in following years, ludwig concentrated on works on linderhof palace. resumed former plans, when visited versailles in summer 1874 , received honors french government on occasion of birthday on august 25. herrenchiemsee became designated site large new palace around central corps de logis, designed georg von dollmann, christian jank, , franz von seitz.

construction started on 21 may 1878. ludwig himself regularly supervised building progress while stayed @ old place nearby. meant homage adored king louis xiv , divine right, herrenchiemsee arose private, yet vast residence, resembled versailles never designed host thousand-headed royal household. ludwig had opportunity stay within palace few days in september 1885, rooms richly decorated , unfinished parts covered colorful canvasses.

after king s death drowning @ 40 in following year, construction work discontinued. during whole period between 1863 , 1886 16,579,674 marks spent. using 0.2304 troy ounce (7.171 g) 1890 20 mark gold coin benchmark, equates 190,998 oz of gold, @ october 2013 prices worth approximately £154,000,000 (us$250,100,000), more totalled construction cost of linderhof , neuschwanstein together. expenses brought royal finances verge of bankruptcy, though had strong effect stimulus package local economy.

only few weeks after ludwig s death, building opened public. after november revolution, crown prince rupprecht ceded herrenchiemsee state of bavaria in 1923.

design

ludwig s unused rococo arbeitzimmer reflects louis xv s cabinet de travail @ versailles

unlike medieval themed neuschwanstein castle begun in 1869, neo-baroque new palace stands monument ludwig s admiration of king louis xiv of france. great hall of mirrors ceiling painted 25 tableaux showing louis xiv @ best.

the palace shaped in w wings flanking central edifice. 16 of 70 rooms on ground floor. though have been equivalent palace of versailles, central portion built before king died , construction discontinued 50 of 70 rooms still incomplete. never intended exact replica of french royal palace , in several places surpasses it. versailles, hall of mirrors has 17 arches, hall of peace , hall of war on either side have 3 windows each. window niches @ herrenchiemsee wider @ versailles, making central façade few metres wider. dining room features elevator table , world s largest meissen porcelain chandelier. technologically, building benefits 2 centuries of progress. while original versailles palace lacked toilets, water, , central heat, new palace has of these, including large heated bathtub.

being built on island, bavarian versailles accessible boat, today via system of small ferries. result, , of being unfinished, herrenchiemsee remained in shadow of neuschwanstein.

gardens

one of fountains in castle s gardens

the formal gardens filled fountains, copy of versailles bassin de latone, , statues in both classical style typical of versailles , fantastic romanticism favored king ludwig. statues reminiscent of antiquity found throughout gardens, overwrought in grand style of richard wagner s romantic operas.