Did you know that hidden away in the green courtyard of the Frankonia Company lies a Baroque treasure? It’s the Balthasar-Neumann-Pavillion. This charming garden pavilion has a story that stretches back to the early 18th century. Let’s step closer to discover its secrets.
Around 1720, garden houses became fashionable in Würzburg. Many attribute these to Joseph Greissing. However, Balthasar Neumann, a rising star, soon replaced Greissing as the court architect under Prince-Bishop Johann Philipp Franz von Schönborn.
The Balthasar-Neumann-Pavillion emerged around this time. It was likely built by Balthasar Neumann himself. The pavilion probably served as a summer retreat for the Prince-Bishops. Imagine them escaping the heat of the city within these walls.
Fast forward to the 19th century. The Sanderau district was developed. The Balthasar-Neumann-Pavillion became a residence. Around 1850, a gardener named Michael Laufer owned the property. His successor, Andreas Kaiser, added a kitchen and toilet in the 1860s. This made the small Baroque building habitable year-round. A decorative gate was added to the garden wall ten years later.
In the late 1880s, a British privateer, Carl Martin Shaw, purchased the garden. He built a historic villa on the grounds. This villa featured a simple facade facing the street and a prominent tower. The building had a picturesque and playful appearance. After Shaw’s death, his widow lived in the villa.
Between 1906 and 1920, Albrecht Mendelssohn Bartholdy, a renowned international law professor, resided in the villa. The Balthasar-Neumann-Pavillion was part of his estate. The bombing of Würzburg on March 16, 1945, severely damaged the pavilion. It lost its entire roof.
In 1954, a concrete ceiling was installed above the upper floor to prevent further collapse. In 1956, a long sales wing was built on Randersackerer Street. The facade and shop windows were modified in 1971. A complete renovation of the pavilion occurred in 1974 and 1975.
Today, the Balthasar-Neumann-Pavillion stands enclosed by the Frankonia Company’s sales rooms in a green courtyard. The pavilion remains one of the few preserved or restored examples of its kind.
Looking at a map from 1832, the connection between the garden and pavilion is clear. The plots alternated between vegetable gardens, vineyards, and ornamental gardens. The pavilion marked the central axis.
A royal decree in 1856 lifted the city’s fortress status. This allowed Würzburg to expand beyond its walls. The Sanderau gardens became prime building land. New residential areas emerged. The old garden structures were largely lost.
The small plot of the Balthasar-Neumann-Pavillion was divided into two sections. The eastern part held the pavilion. The western part featured a cross axis with a fountain. The pavilion has two stories. Its central section is emphasized by a polygonal layout and roof design. A curved double staircase leads to the upper floor. Putto figures representing the four seasons adorn the staircase. This grand staircase connects the small festival hall on the upper floor with the garden.
The Balthasar-Neumann-Pavillion presents Baroque monumental architecture on a smaller scale. It is a testament to the elegance and history of Würzburg. Its story echoes through time, quietly nestled amidst the modern world.