Elisabethenburg Palace | |
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Schloss Elisabethenburg | |
General information | |
Architectural style | originally Baroque some later additions |
Town or city | Meiningen |
Country | Germany |
Coordinates | 50°34′12″N10°24′47″E / 50.570°N 10.413°E |
Construction started | 1682 |
Completed | 1692 |
Client | Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen |
Elisabethenburg Palace (German : Schloss Elisabethenburg) is a Baroque palace located on the northwestern edge of Meiningen in Germany. Until 1918 it was the residence of the Dukes of Saxe-Meiningen. The castle now houses the Meininger Museum as well as the Max Reger archives, the Thuringian State Archives, the Max Reger music school, the Johannes Brahms concert hall, a restaurant, the tower Cafe, and the ceremonial rooms of the Meinigen City Council and Registry Office.
The palace was constructed by Bernard I, the first Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, between 1682 and 1692 on the site of a late-Gothic castle built in 1511, part (Bibrasbau, after Bishop Lorenz von Bibra) which was incorporated into the north wing of the present building. The new palace had three wings and a central tower which form an "E" shape when seen from above. Later this was interpreted as referring to the name of the Duke's second wife, Elisabeth Eleonore of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, thus giving the palace its current name.
The building was remodelled in the 19th century, and a dry moat added. The heavily rustic window surrounds, which now dominate the facade were added in 1845. Originally the windows had simple rectangular shaped frames made of sandstone. In 1918 a new Italian marble fountain was added. The interior decorations represent a gamut of architectural styles beginning with the Baroque frescoes commissioned by Bernard I through the Rococo and 19th century Empire styles.
The palace and its court orchestra have been associated with many famous musicians, and particularly with Hans von Bülow, Max Reger, and Johannes Brahms, who was a frequent guest there. The music archives hold a large collection of autograph scores, including many of Bach's, as well as a collection of historical instruments. The palace also has a very large court library, which was regularly used by Friedrich Schiller during his stay in the area.
Saxe-Meiningen was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine line of the House of Wettin, located in the southwest of the present-day German state of Thuringia.
Meiningen is a town in the southern part of the state of Thuringia, Germany. It is located in the region of Franconia and has a population of around 26,000 (2024). Meiningen is the capital and the largest town of the Schmalkalden-Meiningen district. From 1680 to 1920, Meiningen was the capital of the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen.
Schloss Altenstein is a schloss, or palace, upon a rocky hill on the south-western slope of the Thuringian Forest, not far from Eisenach, Thuringia, Germany. It was the summer residence of the Dukes of Saxe-Meiningen, and is surrounded by 160 hectares of English landscape garden, which contain, among other objects of interest, a cavern 300 metres long, through which flows a large and rapid stream.
Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen was a duke of Saxe-Meiningen.
Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen was a German (Saxon) nobleman.
Ernst Ludwig II, was a duke of Saxe-Meiningen.
Anton Ulrich was Duke of Saxe-Meiningen from 1746 to 1763.
George I, was Duke of Saxe-Meiningen from 21 July 1782 until his death in 1803. He was known as a reformer and considered a model prince by many of his peers.
Ellen Franz, also known as Helene, Baroness von Heldburg was a German pianist and actress.
Events in the year 1888 in Germany, the 'Year of the Three Emperors'.
Events from the year 1873 in Germany.
The Meiningen Court Orchestra is one of the oldest and most traditional orchestras in Europe. Since 1952 the now 68-member orchestra has been affiliated to the Meiningen Court Theatre and in addition to their opera performances regularly give symphony concerts and youth concerts. The incumbent music director (GMD) is Philippe Bach.
Events in the year 1874 in Germany.
Events in the year 1884 in Germany.
Events in the year 1886 in Germany.
The Staatstheater Meiningen, also called the Meiningen Theatre, is a four-division theater in the Thuringian town of Meiningen, Germany. The theater was founded in 1831 and was called ″Meininger Hoftheater″ until 1920.
Elisabeth Eleonore of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was the eldest daughter of Duke Anthony Ulrich of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and his wife Elisabeth Juliane of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Norburg.
Marie Hedwig of Hesse-Darmstadt was a landgravine of Hesse-Darmstadt by birth and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen.
Schloss Weimar is a Schloss (palace) in Weimar, Thuringia, Germany. It is now called Stadtschloss to distinguish it from other palaces in and around Weimar. It was the residence of the dukes of Saxe-Weimar and Eisenach, and has also been called Residenzschloss. Names in English include Palace at Weimar, Grand Ducal Palace, City Palace and City Castle. The building is located at the north end of the town's park along the Ilm river, Park an der Ilm. It forms part of the World Heritage Site "Classical Weimar", along with other sites associated with Weimar's importance as a cultural hub during the late 18th and 19th centuries.
Elisabeth of Sachsen-Meiningen was a princess of Sachsen-Meiningen. Between 1713. Until her death in 1766, she had been the long-serving Abbess of the free imperial secular [quasi-monastic] foundation at Gandersheim.
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