On 17 January 1742 almost 600 guests celebrated two royal brides and grooms at Mannheim Palace: Elisabeth Auguste married Carl Theodor of the Palatinate-Sulzbach (his portrait adorns the new issue of Schlösser). Her sister, Maria Anna, was wed to Duke Clemens Franz of Bavaria. The double wedding was a sumptuous celebration. It was the grandest event that the residential palace of the Electoral Palatinate had ever seen.
The festivities lasted 14 days with banquets, costume balls, a wedding opera and a spectacular fireworks display in the illuminated town. But the two couples did not say "yes" to each other out of love. It was an arranged union for the preservation of power. In these circles at that time it was common practice. Elisabeth Auguste had a weakness for attractive men. Her lovers included her brother-in-law. And Carl Theodor's surviving offspring were not from his wife...
How was a festive banquet carried out in the 18th century? What delectable delicacies did confectioners create as dessert? Ice cream, fruit parfait and all kinds of sugar confectionery were very popular. At the end of the meal the ladies and gentlemen of the court drank coffee or hot chocolate. At Mannheim Palace special guided tours, which report on "the table ceremony", are offered on a regular basis.
The decorating concept at the New Palace (Neues Schloss) in Meersburg is characterized by historic wall decorations. Beginning in late April visitors can once again view the elaborate ornamental plasterwork in the palace rooms. For then the former residential palace of the Prince Bishops of Constance will be reopened to the public following a thorough restoration.
As part of our series on Cabinets (small exhibition rooms), Room Creations of the Baroque, this time we present Duke Eberhard Ludwig's Lacquer Cabinet (Lackkabinett) in the Old Main Building (Alter Hauptbau) of Ludwigsburg Palace. It is a splendid testimonial to an age in which anything "Chinese", "Japanese" or "Indian" was held in great esteem. It just had to look exotic! The Lacquer Cabinet has been preserved virtually unchanged until today.
Lacquer Cabinet at Ludwigsburg Palace: Figures in Oriental and Indian folk costumes
And those who want to gain an impression of what happened at a Baroque celebration should visit a "Soirée Royale" at Ludwigsburg Palace. The guests in historic clothing experience an evening with games, culinary pleasures, dancing and all kinds of surprises. They are accompanied by a host couple. We spoke with both of them about their transformation into the wife of a privy counselor and into a head chamberlain respectively.
Soirée Royale, a Baroque celebration at Ludwigsburg Palace
In the section "Vitrine" (Showcase) we present a fireplace screen from Schwetzingen Palace this time. The "stilles Örtchen" (John) exhibition tells how people could become "clean" without water using powder. The trip tip takes readers to the Hohenbaden castle ruins, where the Baden dynasty originated 900 years ago. In addition to other interesting topics, the issue also contains tips on events with information on special guided tours. A detailed, continually updated calendar of events can be viewed on this homepage.
The issue is available here in German only.