Kurfürstliche Residenz in Ehrenbreitstein

About

The Philippsburg palace (German: Schloss Philippsburg)) was a former Baroque-style palace in Ehrenbreitstein, a district of the city of Koblenz in Germany. It was situated on the banks of the Rhine river, below the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. Constructed between 1626 and 1632 by Philipp Christoph von Sötern (1567–1652), Prince-Elector of Trier, it served as the main residence of the Archbishops and Prince-Electors of Trier until 1786. The palace had similarities to Schloss Johannisburg in Aschaffenburg, as they have the same architect. In 1786, Prince-Elector Clemens Wenceslaus of Saxony (1739–1812) erected a new electoral palace in Koblenz on the opposite bank of the Rhine, which then became the primary residence. During the Napoleonic era, the French army blew up the Ehrenbreitstein fortress in 1801, causing the Philippsburg palace to suffer significant damage and necessitating its demolition. Today, nothing remains of the palace, once one of the largest and most significant Baroque buildings on the Rhine. Only the adjacent structures (the Pagerie, Dicasterial building, Krummstall, and Marstall) have withstood the test of time.

During the Thirty Years' War, Prince-Elector Philipp Christoph von Sötern (1567–1652) found it necessary to relocate his residence away from Trier, which faced constant threats from France. Opting for a more secure location, he chose to erect a new palace in Koblenz. Positioned below the Ehrenbreitstein fortress, the most formidable stronghold of the Electorate of Trier, directly on the banks of the Rhine River, Philippsburg was built between 1626 and 1632. The architect was Georg Ridinger, who also designed Schloss Johannisburg in Aschaffenburg, for the Prince-Electors of Mainz, between 1605 and 1614. The works were executed by master builder Albrecht Beyer from Bamberg. They created a bastioned residential palace.

Initially aligned with the Catholic League, Sötern's deteriorating relations with the Habsburgs prompted him to switch sides to France, opposing Emperor Ferdinand II. In 1630, upon the request of its inhabitants, imperial troops occupied Trier. With support from French forces, Sötern regained control of the city in 1632. In return and to shield his bishoprics from Swedish troops, Sötern permitted France to occupy the Ehrenbreitstein fortress. However, imperial forces under Christopher of East Frisia unexpectedly recaptured Trier in 1635, leading to Sötern's subsequent imprisonment in Linz from 1635 to 1645.

17th and 18th century: main residence of the Electors of Trier

Successive Prince-Electors continued to maintain Philippsburg as their primary residence, solidifying its position as the epicenter of the Electorate's political and cultural life.

Furthermore, the palace underwent additional expansion. Prince-Elector Karl Kaspar von der Leyen (1618–1676) oversaw the construction of a pathway behind the palace, leading up to the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress and carved into the rock. Along this pathway, to the south of the palace, court architect Johann Christoph Sebastiani (1640–1701), commissioned by Prince-Elector Johann Hugo von Orsbeck (1634–1711), erected a fortress gatehouse between 1690 and 1692. This gatehouse, known as the Pagerie, served as the New Chancellery.

At the entrance of Philippsburg, Prince-Elector Franz Georg von Schönborn (1682–1756) oversaw the construction of the Dicasterial Building ( German : Dikasterialgebäude ) between 1738 and 1749. Designed by Balthasar Neumann (1687–1753) and supervised by his pupil Johannes Seiz (1717–1779), this structure served as the central administration of the Electorate. Adjacent to the Dicasterial Building, the so-called Curved Stables ( German : Krummstall ) were erected between 1744 and 1747 to provide accommodations for soldiers, personnel, and workshops. At the same time, Balthasar Neumann designed the Schönbornslust palace as a new summer residence for Franz Georg.

Following Franz Georg's reign, his successor Johann IX Philipp von Walderdorff (1701–1768) expanded the palace complex between 1762 and 1763 by adding new stables adjacent to the Dicasterial Building. These stables ( German : Marstall ) were also designed by Johannes Seiz.

During a visit in February 1761, Clemens August of Bavaria, Prince-Elector of Cologne and a Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, died at Schloss Philippsburg.

Clemens Wenzeslaus of Saxony moves his residence to the opposite bank

Johannes Seiz made several proposals for redesigning Philippsburg Palace in 1776, which can still be admired in the Koblenz State Archive ( German : Landeshauptarchiv Koblenz ). However, these proposals remained in the design phase and were never realized. Instead, Clemens Wenzeslaus decided to construct a new palace on the other side of the Rhine River in Koblenz. Pierre Michel d’Ixnard designed this new palace in the neoclassical style.

From 1778 to 1786, during the construction of the Electoral Palace in Koblenz, the Dicasterial Building served as the residence of Prince-Elector Clemens Wenzeslaus of Saxony (1739–1812), as he no longer wanted to reside in the Philippsburg due to building damage, poor living conditions, and the risk of rockfalls. Two towers in the southern right wing were demolished due to their poor condition. In 1786, the elector finally moved into the newly built Electoral palace in Koblenz.

In the following years, Philippsburg was only partially used, including by metalworking businesses and as military hospital during the French revolutionary wars. The furniture but also parts of the fixed wall fittings were removed to be reused in the new palace or other Electoral palaces and buildings. Additionally, thefts and general decay affected the largely unused and insufficiently guarded complex. The building steadily deteriorated, so that it was already in very poor condition before its destruction, and individual parts had to be demolished due to dilapidation.

Napoleonic times: the palace is being demolished

Koblenz was conquered by French revolutionary troops in the First Coalition War in 1794. After four times being sieged, the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress also surrendered in 1799. As the French had to evacuate the areas on the right bank of the Rhine according to the Peace of Lunéville, they blew up the old Electoral fortress on the Ehrenbreitstein beforehand in 1801. The underlying Philippsburg was so severely damaged during the demolition that it had to be demolished. Only a few wall remnants have survived to this day.

Since the 19th century, a road to Vallendar (now B 42) and the right bank railway line have passed over the former palace grounds. However, the Dicasterial Building, Krummstall, Marstall, and Pagerie have remained intact, still hinting at the former glory of the residence. The Prussians used these buildings from 1815 as a coin barracks.

As of 2002, the remaining buildings of the Philippsburg are part of the World Heritage Site and Cultural landscape ‘‘Kulturlandschaft Oberes Mittelrheintal’’.

During the Thirty Years' War, Prince-Elector Philipp Christoph von Sötern (1567–1652) found it necessary to relocate his residence away from Trier, which faced constant threats from France. Opting for a more secure location, he chose to erect a new palace in Koblenz. Positioned below the Ehrenbreitstein fortress, the most formidable stronghold of the Electorate of Trier, directly on the banks of the Rhine River, Philippsburg was built between 1626 and 1632. The architect was Georg Ridinger, who also designed Schloss Johannisburg in Aschaffenburg, for the Prince-Electors of Mainz, between 1605 and 1614. The works were executed by master builder Albrecht Beyer from Bamberg. They created a bastioned residential palace.

Initially aligned with the Catholic League, Sötern's deteriorating relations with the Habsburgs prompted him to switch sides to France, opposing Emperor Ferdinand II. In 1630, upon the request of its inhabitants, imperial troops occupied Trier. With support from French forces, Sötern regained control of the city in 1632. In return and to shield his bishoprics from Swedish troops, Sötern permitted France to occupy the Ehrenbreitstein fortress. However, imperial forces under Christopher of East Frisia unexpectedly recaptured Trier in 1635, leading to Sötern's subsequent imprisonment in Linz from 1635 to 1645.

Successive Prince-Electors continued to maintain Philippsburg as their primary residence, solidifying its position as the epicenter of the Electorate's political and cultural life.