Schloß Ebnet

Was Schloss Ebnet always this grand? No. Schloss Ebnet started much humbler. Originally, a moated castle stood on this very spot in Ebnet, a district of Freiburg im Breisgau. The Sickingen family, a Baden noble family, acquired the property in 1568. They transformed the moated castle into a manor house in 1696, using it as their summer retreat. Imagine them strolling through the gardens, escaping the city bustle of their Freiburg palace, which today houses the Freiburg District Court. Schloss Ebnet as we see it now arose in 1748. Baron Ferdinand Sebastian von Sickingen-Hohenburg commissioned its construction. He felt the old manor house simply wasn’t grand enough anymore. The architect Johann Jacob Fechter from Basel designed the current baroque masterpiece. The artistry doesn’t stop with the architecture. Step inside, and you would discover fourteen rooms adorned with stunning stucco work by Hans Georg Gigl. The garden hall boasts richly decorated stucco masks crafted by the renowned local artist Christian Wentzinger. Wentzinger also created the human-sized sandstone sculptures that once graced the palace park. Sadly, these originals now reside in the Freiburg City Museum. Look up. You’d be awed by the allegorical ceiling paintings. Benedikt Gambs, an artist from Allgäu, painted these masterpieces in 1750. After Gambs’ death, Johann Pfunner, a Tyrolean artist living in Freiburg, completed the magnificent staircase’s ceiling painting. Schloss Ebnet even has a cameo appearance in a 1730 painting by Franz Bernhard Altenburger. The high altarpiece in St. Hilarius Church in Ebnet depicts the village and the earlier version of the castle. Even amidst the devastation of World War II, Schloss Ebnet survived the bombings. Though the Eschbach bridge in front of the castle was destroyed by the Volkssturm, causing damage to the roof and windows. The garden hall’s ceiling painting suffered the most, but thankfully, it was later restored. During the war, Schloss Ebnet provided shelter for up to 100 refugees. Even Hans Maier, the future Minister of Culture of Bavaria, sought refuge in the castle cellar during the bombing of November 27, 1944. The castle also played a role in the 1958 film “Schwarzwälder Kirsch,” serving as one of the filming locations. Today, Schloss Ebnet continues to enchant. The castle is mainly open to the public during special events like the “Ebneter Kultursommer” or on Open Monument Day. The Theodor Egel Hall, now a rehearsal space for the Freiburg Bach Choir, stands in the park where a coach house once stood. And the historic riding hall, brought here from Littenweiler, is now a unique venue. Inside, you’ll find the Holzingstube, a tribute to dressage rider Max Freiherr von Holzing-Berstett. So, the next time you admire Schloss Ebnet, remember its journey. From a simple moated castle to a grand baroque mansion, its story reflects the passage of time, the impact of war, and the enduring power of art and beauty.