Today, apart from the former stables, the only remaining part of the complex is the main gate from the 18th century. This gate was incorporated in the 19th century into the building complex of the former Wedinghausen Abbey in Arnsberg, where it is now known as the Hirschberg Gate (‹See Tfd›German: Hirschberger Tor).
History
Prince-Elector Clemens August returning from the hunt with Hirschberg in the back and the Hirschberger Tor in front of itThe village and Schloss Hirschberg in the distance by Renier Roidkin
In 1340, Count Gottfried IV of Arnsberg obtained the right from Walram of Jülich, Archbishop of Cologne, to grant Hirschberg town rights and to build a castle there.[1] In 1368, the castle, along with the County of Arnsberg, passed to the Duchy of Westphalia, which was part of the Electorate of Cologne, after which a castle was built in place of the original fortification. This castle was completely destroyed during the Thirty Years' War.[1]
Beginning in 1662, Prince-Elector Maximilian Henry of Bavaria commissioned the construction of a new palace on this site, intended primarily as a base for princely hunts.[1] The architect, master builder Frater Bonitius from Trier, completed the building in 1668.[1][2]
The plan was for a four-winged structure with four pavilion towers at the corners.[1] However, the work likely remained unfinished, as by 1691 only a three-winged complex with two towers existed.[1] The stables were built to the south of the castle.[1][2]
The lodge was described by contemporaries as nearly as grand as nearby Arnsberg Castle. However, by the time of Prince-Elector Joseph Clemens of Bavaria, the structure had already begun to deteriorate. A document from 1691 notes that parts of the castle required rebuilding.
Prince-Elector Clemens August of Bavaria as a falconer
During his reign, Prince-Elector Clemens August I of Bavaria had Schloss Hirschberg modernized.[1] Unlike the extensive renovations at Arnsberg Castle, Johann Conrad Schlaun's work at Hirschberg primarily focused on redesigning the interiors.[1] Additionally, Clemens August commissioned the construction of the so-called Hirschberg Gate in 1753, which closed off the open side of the courtyard in the three-winged complex.[1]
During Clemens August's reign, Schloss Hirschberg had its golden age, hosting numerous large hunts, particularly the so-called par force hunts. It was also during this period that several small chapels and hunting lodges were constructed, where the Prince-Elector would have Mass celebrated following the hunts. These additions further enhanced the palace's role as a center of both hunting and courtly life, reflecting Clemens August's passion for the sport and his devotion to religious observance.
‘Par force’ hunts were grand theatrical events, meticulously planned to demonstrate power and greatness. Clemens August and his guests participated in the hunt, or positioned themselves centrally in the forest while they waited to be summoned. Meanwhile, the mounted hunters and their hounds pursued the day's quarry. From their waiting place, the Prince-Elector and his guests could watch the hunters, horses and hounds as they persecuted the frantic stag at great speed. When the exhausted stag was no longer able to run, the dogs held it fast by biting its throat, ears, legs and muzzle. Thus, the stag was “fixed” and the Prince-Elector was summoned with a special horn signal. He carried out his duty as the master of the hunt by killing the stag with a stab wound to the heart.
Architecture
The construction history of the building is exceptionally difficult to reconstruct.[3] While archival materials from the time of construction have survived, they provide little information about the final structure that was built.[3]
Visitors entered the inner courtyard through the Hirschberg Gate at the end of the Schlossstraße, which led to the castle.[3] A grand Baroque entrance gate, with a set of steps leading up to it, provided access to the building.[3] Above the portal, flanked by pilasters, the electoral coat of arms served as an upper embellishment.[3]
The two-story, strictly symmetrical main structure featured two short side wings and rested on a high base.[3] A gabled roof covered with slate extended over the side wings, completing the upper section.[3] Chimneys and dormers added interest to the roofline.[3] Flanking corner towers, built on a square footprint and topped with Baroque domes, emphasized the corners of the building.[3] The individual floors were separated by belt cornices, and local rubble stones were used as the primary building material, with the windows framed by surrounds.[3]
An inventory from 1761 mentions the Elector's apartment, the dining hall, the billiard room, and a chapel.[1] The upper floor housed simply furnished bedrooms.[1]
Hirschberger Tor
Design for the Hirschberger Tor by Johan Conrad SchlaunThe Hirschberger Tor at its current location in Arnsberg
In 1753, Prince-Elector Clemens August commissioned the construction of a grand entrance gate made from Rüthen sandstone, the so-called Hirschberg Gate, which closed off the open side of the courtyard in the three-winged complex.[2] The design was by Johann Conrad Schlaun, while the sculptural decorations depicting hunting scenes were created by the Rhenish sculptor Johann Christoph Manskirch.[2]
The gate features three sections: a wide central entrance flanked by two smaller side entrances. Atop the gate, two hunting scenes are depicted, while additional reliefs adorn the structure. On the right side, a large electoral coat of arms is displayed, and on the left, the intertwined initials "CA," embellished with hunting motifs. Inside the gate, on the left side, the following inscription about the building's patron is displayed:
On the right side, it reads: "PORTAS EX FVNDAMENTO EXTRAVCTAS HIS STATVIS EXORNARI CVRAVAT." The highlighted letters, when added together as Roman numerals, indicate the construction year of 1753.
Decline
The former stable of Schloss Hirschberg
After the death of Clemens August I of Bavaria, interest in Schloss Hirschberg from the Prince-Electors of Cologne dwindled, and large hunts were rarely held.[1] The estate was managed by a burgrave, with hunting activities overseen by several forestry officials.[1] As the buildings were neglected, they gradually fell into disrepair.[1]
In 1788, a fire severely damaged the castle.[1] When the Duchy of Westphalia passed to Hesse-Darmstadt in 1802, the new administration considered restoration too expensive. As a result, the castle was sold for demolition that same year.[1] Only one wing, including the stables, was preserved and repurposed as a residence for the forester.[1]
Reconstruction of the Hirschberger Tor
The Hirschberger Tor at its current location in Arnsberg
Initially, the gate remained at its original location. Even after Prussian rule began in 1816, the gate was largely ignored. In 1824, a survey of art monuments brought the gate to the attention of the district administrator Franz Anton Thüsing, who proposed relocating it to Arnsberg.
The location of the gate was the subject of much debate in the local newspaper. The final decision came when the Upper Building Deputation ordered a wing of the former Wedinghausen Monastery to be demolished for fire safety reasons. The gate was erected in this spot, with its dismantling, transport, and reconstruction partially funded by private donations.
After the gate was reassembled in Arnsberg, a plaque, known as the Beckermann Tablet, was added to the exterior. It commemorates the failed attack of General Beckermann on Arnsberg during the Thirty Years' War: "Through lightning and rain, by God's blessing, on St. Norbert's night, Beckermann was driven away." In 1893, another plaque was added to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Laurentianum Gymnasium: "By God's grace – the school thrived – teacher and scholar – 250 years."
Also preserved is the Hubertus altar from the castle chapel, which is now located in the parish church of St. Christoph in Warstein-Hirschberg.[1][2]
Related Research Articles
Clemens August of Bavaria was an 18th-century member of the Wittelsbach dynasty of Bavaria and Archbishop-Elector of Cologne.
Arnsberg is a town in the Hochsauerland county, in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the location of the Regierungsbezirk Arnsberg administration and one of the three local administration offices of the Hochsauerlandkreis district.
The Augustusburg and Falkenlust Palaces form a historical building complex in Brühl, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The buildings are connected by the spacious gardens and trees of the Schlosspark. Built in the early 18th century, the palaces and adjoining gardens are considered masterpieces of early rococo architecture and have been listed as a UNESCO cultural World Heritage Site since 1984. Augustusburg Palace and its parks also serve as a venue for the Brühl Palace Concerts.
Ferdinand Maria was a Wittelsbach ruler of Bavaria and a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 1651 to 1679. The Elector modernized the army and introduced Bavaria's first government code. Besides encouraging agriculture and industry, he also improved building and restoration works on churches and monasteries since the damage caused during the Thirty Years' War.
The Nymphenburg Palace is a Baroque palace situated in Munich's western district Neuhausen-Nymphenburg, in Bavaria, southern Germany. The Nymphenburg served as the main summer residence for the former rulers of Bavaria of the House of Wittelsbach. Combined with the adjacent Nymphenburg Palace Park it constitutes one of the premier royal palaces of Europe. Its frontal width of 632 m (2,073 ft) even surpasses Versailles.
Hubertusburg is a Rococo palace in Saxony, Germany. It was built from 1721 onwards at the behest of Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, and after his death served as a residence of his son Augustus III. The 'Saxon Versailles' is chiefly known for the signing of the 1763 Treaty of Hubertusburg that ended the Seven Years' War. The palace is located in the municipality of Wermsdorf near Oschatz.
Bad Iburg is a spa town in the district of Osnabrück, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the Teutoburg Forest, 16 km south of Osnabrück.
The Electoral Palace in Koblenz, was the residence of the last Archbishop and Elector of Trier, Clemens Wenceslaus of Saxony, who commissioned the building in the late 18th century. In the mid-19th century, the Prussian Crown Prince had his official residence there during his years as military governor of the Rhine Province and the Province of Westphalia. It now houses various offices of the federal government.
Poppelsdorf Palace is a Baroque building in the Poppelsdorf district of Bonn, western Germany, which is now part of the University of Bonn.
Clemenswerth Palace is a hunting complex or jagdschloss built in Sögel, Lower Saxony, Germany, by Clemens August of Bavaria in the 18th century.
The Electoral Palace in Bonn is the former residential palace of the Prince-Electors of Cologne. Since 1818, it has been the University of Bonn's main building in the city center, home to the University administration and the faculty of humanities and theology.
Johann Conrad Schlaun was a German architect. He is an important architect of the Westphalian Baroque architectural style. His designs include the Erbdrostenhof and Schloss, both in Münster, but also Arnsberg Castle.
Schönbornslust was a palace located in Kesselheim, part of the city of Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It was a summer residence and hunting lodge of the Prince-Electors and Archbishops of Trier. It was destroyed by French revolutionary troops in 1794. Today nothing remains of the last palace created by Balthasar Neumann.
The Schloss Jägerhof, formerly also called die Vénerie, is located at Jacobistraße 2 in Düsseldorf-Pempelfort, near the city centre. It was built between 1752 and 1763 by order of the Prince-elector Karl Theodor. At that time, the castle was still located outside the city gates. The palace is a point de vue of the Hofgarten riding avenue and the Jägerhofstraße. Since 1987, the castle has housed the Goethe-Museum and the Ernst Schneider Foundation.
Johann Heinrich Jakob Roth was a German master builder of the 18th century.
Schloss Herzogsfreude was a palace in Röttgen, part of the city of Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was a summer residence and hunting lodge of Clemens August of Bavaria, Prince-Elector and Archbishop of Cologne. It was destroyed in 1804 during the times of the First French Empire. Today nothing remains, except for a bronze miniature model of the palace at the palace square in Röttgen.
Arnsberg Castle is a former palace in Arnsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. It is a located on a 256 m (840 ft) high hill.
The Philippsburg palace ) was a former Baroque-style palace in Ehrenbreitstein, a district of the city of Koblenz in Germany. It was situated on the banks of the Rhine river, below the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. Constructed between 1626 and 1632 by Philipp Christoph von Sötern (1567–1652), Prince-Elector of Trier, it served as the main residence of the Archbishops and Prince-Electors of Trier until 1786. The palace had similarities to Schloss Johannisburg in Aschaffenburg, as they have the same architect.
The Kärlich palace is a former electoral hunting lodge in Kärlich near Koblenz, Germany. It was situated on the northern side of the village. It served as a summer retreat and hunting lodge for the Prince-Electors and Archbishops of Trier.
The Promontor palace is a former baroque-style palace in Budafok, a southwestern neighbourhood of Budapest, Hungary. The quadrangular castle was built between the vineyards on the hills on the right side of the Danube river. It was commissioned by Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663–1736). The design can probably be attributed to Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt (1668–1745).
1 2 3 4 5 Fischer, Ferdy; Anneser, Toni (1992). Castles looking down from the hills Stately Homes dreaming in the valleys. Münster: Aschendorf Verlag. pp.122–123. ISBN3-402-06046-9.
Fischer, Ferdy; Anneser, Toni (1992). Castles looking down from the hills Stately Homes dreaming in the valleys. Münster: Aschendorf Verlag. pp.122–123. ISBN3-402-06046-9.
Funke, Jürgen (2020). "Das Hirschberger Tor stand acht Jahre lang auch wieder in Hirschberg". Heimatblätter (in German). 41. Zeitschrift des Arnsberger Heimatbundes: 90–93.
See also
Other palaces, residences and hunting lodges of Clemens August of Bavaria;
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
