Schlossgarten Fulda

Now a seat of the city administration, the Schlossgarten Fulda (Fulda City Palace) offers a glimpse into the former world of absolutism – when the wealth and authority of a state lay in the hands of a sole monarch. At the time of the Palace’s construction, Prince Abbot Adalbert von Schleifras had presided over Fulda for 14 years.

In the early 18th century, Abbot von Schleifras commissioned master builder and architect, Johann Dientzenhofer, to construct a new castle in the Baroque style on the existing castle complex whose structure dated back to the 13th century. As part of his expansion, he added a four-wing complex with two side wings that enclosed a courtyard.

The first foundation stone was laid in 1708 and five years later, the castle’s exterior was complete. However, the Interior work continued. Abbot von Schleifras passed away the year the palace was near completion, stalling the interior finishes for another four years.

By 1730, the Palace was the glamorous centerpiece of Fulda and home to the city’s prince-electors & bishops. Inside, its halls made way to magnificent rooms filled with mirrors, paintings, and ornate wallpaper. A particularly lavish room is the Hall of Mirrors, the former dressing room of the prince, containing one hundred small and large mirrors.

Visitors can explore the Palace and take in its many lavish works of art, ranging from portrait paintings to porcelain manufactured in Fulda’s factories. The Palace also includes an exhibit commemorating Fulda native and a scientist, Ferdinand Braun, who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1909.