Schloss und Hofgarten Veitshöchheim (Veitshöchheim Palace and Court Garden)

Veitshöchheim Palace, the summer residence of the prince-bishops of Würzburg until 1802, is located in the centre of one of the most important rococo gardens in Germany. Originally a hunting base, the summer palace was built here between 1680 and 1682 and extended by Balthasar Neumann between 1749 and 1753. In the palace, which was completely restored in 2005, the prince-bishops' flat with its 18th century furnishings and the flat of Grand Duke Ferdinand III of Tuscany (1806-1814) can be visited, and Prince-Bishop Johann Philipp v. Greiffenclau had already initiated its transformation into an ornamental garden by creating terraces and lakes in 1702. In 1763, Adam Friedrich v. Seinsheim had the rococo garden designed in its present form. Around 200 sculptures by the court sculptors Johann Wolfgang van der Auwera, Ferdinand Tietz and Johann Peter Wagner populate the garden, which measures just 270 x 475 m. As part of a cosmological programme, depictions of animals, the stone court society and personifications of the gods and arts are assigned to the three regions of the garden, the forest, arbour and lake regions. For conservation reasons, the sandstone sculptures had to be replaced by casts made of artificial stone; the most important originals are in the Mainfränkisches Museum in Würzburg. A permanent exhibition documenting the court garden can be viewed in the palace. An audio guide for the courtyard garden is available at the palace ticket office.

Last edited on 12.12.2023