“Publicise amoenitati et privatae salubritati” These words etched into the Huttenschlösschen’s very walls whisper a story. A story of public pleasure and private wellness. A story of the Huttenschlösschen itself.
Built around 1720 this Baroque gem was the summer residence of Christoph Franz von Hutten. He was the Domdekan and later Prince-Bishop of Würzburg. It wasn’t just a summer house. It was a statement. A show of power and prestige. Hutten a leader of the Anti-Schönborn party in the cathedral chapter used the Huttenschlösschen to solidify his claim to the Prince-Bishopric. A position he secured in 1724. The beautiful gardens surrounding the Huttenschlösschen were open to the public. The building however remained Hutten’s private sanctuary.
The Huttenschlösschen’s story isn’t without its twists and turns. In 1803 the von Hutten family sold the property. It changed hands six times before finding a permanent home. In 1884 the Corps Rhenania Würzburg a student fraternity bought the Huttenschlösschen. They renovated it. They restored its grandeur. They made it their own.
But the Huttenschlösschen’s journey was far from over. The city’s development impacted the Huttenschlösschen. The Main riverbank was regulated. The Ludwigsbrücke bridge and the Hochkai embankment were built. This raised the ground level by 1.6 meters. The Huttenschlösschen had to be moved. In 1904 and 1905 they carefully deconstructed it. They moved it to its current location on Sanderglacisstraße 10. They rebuilt it. They rotated it 90 degrees. This aligned it with the new Ringpark. The Huttenschlösschen gained a new perspective a new lease on life.
The Second World War left its mark. Two-thirds of the Huttenschlösschen was destroyed in a bombing raid in 1945. The roof the attic the ceilings the balcony everything was gone. Only the sturdy outer and inner walls remained. The Corps Rhenania however were determined. They rebuilt the Huttenschlösschen. The topping-out ceremony for the reconstruction was celebrated on December 8 1951. Today the Huttenschlösschen continues to stand as a testament to resilience and a symbol of Würzburg’s rich history. A Baroque masterpiece a Corps house a place where history and fraternity meet.