Palaces and Castles of the Hesses

[VN]

Like I posted above, there will be a little tour around the grounds of the Schloß. The Schloß will NOT be opened!!. Last Year visitors came and thought that there would be a tour in Schloß Heiligenberg. But this is not the case. Maybe we will have a few pictures put up which show one or two rooms and their interior design. If everything works out the way I'd like it to be, there will be also very interesting Pictures shown which I found at Broadlands Archiv (copies) and from the Historical Sociaty of Jugenheim.  I don't want to promise too much, but it should be slightly different than last year!!
 

[HerrKaiser]

Seeheim is indeed a lovely village and so tranquil a spot near bustling Frankfurt. I've spent much time there on business. Delightful. Schoss Frankenstein is nearby as well.

[Alexandre64]

[Sarastasia]

Heya everyone!!

I am so glad that I stumble upon this thread; I was researching the 'Neues Palais' earlier and struggling to find any decent info on the internet.

It's such a shame that the Palais no longer exists - I would've loved to visited it, what with it's connection to Alix. Does anyone actually know what destroyed it? Was it allied bombing raids? Was it the Gestapo as they fled? Or did it just fall into disrepair?

I love Germany and German history very much - are there any other places in Germany with a Romanov connection??

[Thomas_Hesse]

The Palais was destroyed during the terrible attack on Darmstadt on Sept. 11th 1944 - like 80% of the whole city. The ruin however was blown to bits in the 1950ies in order to make way to a park named "Georg-Büchner Anlage" whereas the new State's Theatre was errected in the former Palais Garden.

In Germany there are numerous cities and places connected to the Romanows: Wiesbaden has a most wonderful Russian Chapel errected to honor Elisaweta Mikhailovna Grand Duchess of Russia, Duchess of Nassau. Bad Nauheim as one too - inaugurated by Nicholas II. in 1896. Stuttgart has one due to Queen Olga Nikolaevna and her niece Vera Konstantinovna, both married to members of the Württemberg Royal House. There is even one in Weimar dedicated to Maria Pawlowna Grand Duchess of Sachsen Weimar Eisenach (whose mother in law was a Darmstadt Princess and ancestor of Alexandra Feodorovna too).

[Sarastasia]

The Palais was destroyed during the terrible attack on Darmstadt on Sept. 11th 1944 - like 80% of the whole city. The ruin however was blown to bits in the 1950ies in order to make way to a park named "Georg-Büchner Anlage" whereas the new State's Theatre was errected in the former Palais Garden.

In Germany there are numerous cities and places connected to the Romanows: Wiesbaden has a most wonderful Russian Chapel errected to honor Elisaweta Mikhailovna Grand Duchess of Russia, Duchess of Nassau. Bad Nauheim as one too - inaugurated by Nicholas II. in 1896. Stuttgart has one due to Queen Olga Nikolaevna and her niece Vera Konstantinovna, both married to members of the Württemberg Royal House. There is even one in Weimar dedicated to Maria Pawlowna Grand Duchess of Sachsen Weimar Eisenach (whose mother in law was a Darmstadt Princess and ancestor of Alexandra Feodorovna too).

Thank you very much for the information!!!!!

There's also a Russian chapel in Bad Ems, I believe, erected in honour of Alix... Am I right??

[Helen]

There's also a Russian chapel in Bad Ems, I believe, erected in honour of Alix... Am I right??

Yes, Bad Ems does have a Russian church.  It was not built in honour of Princess Alix of Hesse (1872-1918), though, but in honour of Alexandra Feodorovna (1798-1860), née Princess Charlotte of Prussia, wife of Nicholas I. The Church in Bad Ems is dedicated to Saint Alexandra, the wife of the Roman Emperor Diocletian.

Bad Nauheim as one too - inaugurated by Nicholas II. in 1896.

Isn't the Russian church in Bad Nauheim the Reinhardskirche, built in the 1730s as an Evangelical church and used as an Orthodox church only from 1907? Or did you mean the chapel in Bad Homburg?

[Sarastasia]

There's also a Russian chapel in Bad Ems, I believe, erected in honour of Alix... Am I right??

Yes, Bad Ems does have a Russian church.  It was not built in honour of Princess Alix of Hesse (1872-1918), though, but in honour of Alexandra Feodorovna (1798-1860), née Princess Charlotte of Prussia, wife of Nicholas I. The Church in Bad Ems is dedicated to Saint Alexandra, the wife of the Roman Emperor Diocletian.

LOL, my bad!! But I swear I read about it being dedicated to Alexandra Fyodorovna and there being a picture of her next to the text...

[Thomas_Hesse]

Bad Nauheim as one too - inaugurated by Nicholas II. in 1896.

Isn't the Russian church in Bad Nauheim the Reinhardskirche, built in the 1730s as an Evangelical church and used as an Orthodox church only from 1907? Or did you mean the chapel in Bad Homburg?

Oh dear.... I am getting old. Obviously... of course you're right. Wanted to write Homburg. Sorry for that.

[Helen]

Thank you for clearing up the confusion. 
The Russian church/Reinhardskirche in Bad Nauheim may be worth a visit anyway. Nicholas and Alexandra and their family attended mass there during their stay in Bad Nauheim in 1910. The church seems to have got its iconstasis from the cathedral of a Russian monastery, and Nicholas II is said to have presented the church with a 'Bronzeluester' (bronze chandelier?). (See http://www.denkmalschutz.de/reinhardskirche_badnauheim.html and  http://www.russische-kirche.info/4.html)

[Sarastasia]

... and Nicholas II is said to have presented the church with a 'Bronzeluester' (bronze chandelier?)...

Yep, der Lüster --> chandelier

[Thomas_Hesse]

A desk and embossed leather chair in EL's study. The desk is covered with Jugendstil objects. The chair is by Otto Eckmann who was a painter who changed to the 'applied arts'. Eckmann had created a whole suite for EL in 1897 and this chair was part of it. There are also numerous photos on the desk. These seem to be those (left to right):
Alexandra

Actually the photo on the desk is of Ella! from the same sitting and very similar but it is the elder Hessian. Presently there are two additional photos: Alexei with Don and Lu of Hesse in a golden and one of Princess Elisabeth in a silver frame. The smallest frame contains one of Princess Alix in fancy dress dating fr 1891.

[Eric_Lowe]

Not surprising. Ernie was a big supporter of Jugendstil and even asked an Scottish Arts & Craft master to come to Darmstadt to design houses. I Think it was Baille Scott.

[Thomas_Hesse]

This is correct! Scott and Robert Ashbee. Another rooms were decorated by the German Otto Eckmann - part of their outstanding furniture is still preserved at Wolfsgarten as well as in the Schlossmuseum Darmstadt. The Grand Duke's desk and bench have eyes made of mother-of-pearl on them. Really impressive things

[Eddie_uk]

I would love to see some photos of the interior, if possible!!