Marvelous isn’t it? The Schaezlerpalais. Right before your eyes stands Augsburg’s most important and best-preserved private residence. This 18th-century gem is more than just a building. It’s a treasure chest overflowing with art and history.
The Schaezlerpalais wasn’t always this magnificent. It was built in 1765 on the site of an older house. Augsburg banker Benedikt Adam Liebert commissioned the Munich court architect Karl Albert von Lespilliez. The best craftsmen and artists were hired. Gregorio Guglielmi a renowned painter from Rome even contributed. He painted the breathtaking ceiling of the grand ballroom.
That ballroom a Rococo masterpiece. Built between 1765 and 1770 it’s widely considered Germany’s most significant. It survived intact a testament to its enduring beauty. Imagine Maria Antonia Archduchess of Austria visiting in 1770. She inaugurated this very ballroom before her wedding to Louis XVI. She danced here in this very place.
The Schaezlerpalais houses incredible art collections. On the first floor you’ll find the Deutsche Barockgalerie. It showcases Southern German paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries. On the second floor the Karl und Magdalene Haberstock-Stiftung collection awaits. You’ll see works by masters like Paolo Veronese Canaletto and Tiepolo. The ground floor holds part of the Steiner Collection. It features exquisite reverse glass paintings from the 18th century.
Beyond the art the Schaezlerpalais has fascinating details. Note the parquet floors. The ornate wall paneling is nearly original. Sixty-seven landscape paintings by Joseph Christ adorn the building. They depict scenes from Ovid’s Metamorphoses each in a single color. The colors were carefully chosen to complement the now-lost silk wallpaper.
Even the Schaezlerpalais garden is remarkable. Reconstructed in 2005 it’s a rococo delight. It’s a tranquil oasis in the city center. Did you know that it even has its own bee colony? The Schaezler bees produce honey. They thrive in the city’s warmer climate.
The Schaezlerpalais. A testament to Augsburg’s rich past. A captivating blend of art architecture and history. A place where stories whisper from the walls. A place you will surely never forget.