Würzburg Residence with Court Gardens and Residence Square

Würzburg Residence seen from Promenade on BastionsWürzburg Residence seen from Promenade on Bastions

Built between 1719 and 1744, with the lavish interior finished by 1781, the Residence in Würzburg is a superb example of a Baroque palace. The team of artisans and artists from Germany, Austria, Italy and France surpassed themselves here and created a variation of the Baroque style called Würzburg Rococco.

The Residence in Würzburg is a breathtaking example of the Baroque style and was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1981, together with the Court Gardens and the Residence Square. I couldn’t say that I am a huge fan of Baroque architecture or art, but I admire the craftsmanship and detail, nonetheless.

In my opinion, the style was taken a tad over the top here, but even if you don’t like the style or just consider it all a bit too much, the overall effect cannot be denied. Even I was left gobsmacked on entering the huge hall with the staircase – there is just so much to see that you can’t help stopping in your tracks and craning your neck while trying to take it all in. The ceiling and overall décor within the court church had much the same effect. I don’t think I have ever seen so much gold and marble in one and the same place.
The Bavarian Palace Department kindly provided me with the following two photographs to showcase the amazing interior:

Apart from the architectural design and built-in features, there are many artefacts to be viewed, chief among them paintings and intricate furniture, but also an indoor carousel for the children who lived in the residence. Curious to see were also the many rooms or even flights of rooms that were designed to follow a common theme. As we’re talking about a palace here, this wasn’t merely done through a little colour-coordinating for pillows and curtains, but basically everything in those rooms is matched, from colours over carved furniture to paintings, mosaics or murals and whatnot.

In all honesty, though, I have to say that I enjoyed the Court Gardens even more. This may, in part, be due to the fact that it was an absolute scorcher of a day when I visited. Luckily, there are many benches througout the gardens, so that you can stop and rest and just take in the views inbetween strolling around. Despite the Court Gardens having a rather artificial feeling to them (which is typical of the Baroque area), there are enough huge trees to make the layout bearable. Admission to the gardens is free, by the way.

Unfortunately, there is a disappointing aspect, as well: The large car park in Residence Square is quite an eyesore and rather blemishes the front view of the Residence. The Residence is a definite must-see, though, despite the flawed car-park situation.

I would like to thank the Bayerische Verwaltung der staatlichen Schlösser, Gärten und Seen for granting me a photo permit for exterior photographs of the Residence and the Court Gardens and for providing two photos of the interior (see captions above for details).

Related Posts:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *