Hesse’s most beautiful baroque palace with a magnificent 100-hectare landscape park is Schloss Fasanerie, located around 7 kilometres from Fulda in Eichenzell. This Baroque gem was built in 1710 as a simple country residence by Johann Dietzenhofer, architect of the famous Fulda Cathedral, for Adalbert von Schleifras, Prince-Abbot of Fulda. Prince-Abbot Adolph von Dalberg had this small country castle extended in 1735, as evidenced by its old name, Schloss Adophseck. The castle owes its current imposing appearance to Prince-Bishop Amand von Busek, who hired the Italian court architect Andreas Gallasini for the job. He created a magnificent summer residence by extending the castle with two elongated wings. This created an enclosed courtyard and a three-sided courtyard of honour. The castle complex was also supplemented with guard and farm buildings, cavalier houses and gate barriers. In 1866, Kurhessen was occupied and annexed by Prussia. This led to the expropriation of the castle, which, after lengthy negotiations with the Prussian crown, returned to the private ownership of Elector and Landgrave Friedrich Wilhelm von Hessen in 1878 and served as a summer residence for him and his wife. During the Second World War, the castle suffered severe damage. However, Landgrave Phillip of Hesse had the castle repaired. In 1951, a castle museum with 60 exhibition rooms was opened, providing insights into courtly culture in the 18th and 19th centuries. The castle museum was finally completed in 1972. Today, the basement houses a fascinating porcelain collection and the north wing houses a remarkable collection of antiquities. The Prince Heinrich Gallery, dedicated to contemporary art, has been in existence since 2009. The former bathhouse of the castle also hosts changing special exhibitions on various topics. Culinary delights are also well catered for thanks to the restaurant with its magnificent sun terrace, which offers a fantastic view of the beautiful castle park, and the ‘Postenhaus’ beer garden. The picturesque castle garden was originally laid out as a hunting park, which was transformed into a unique Baroque garden under Amand von Busek. It was redesigned again with winding paths between 1824 and 1827. Today, the park with its lakes, magnificent flower beds, natural meadows, picturesque avenues and trees invites visitors to take a romantic stroll and unwind. Here, I was able to enjoy pure nature and peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
