TOWN OF RATSTATT
SCHLOSS RATSTATT
ST ALEXANDERS KIRCHE
SCHLOSS FAVORITE
After our little diversion we headed on to Freiburg but what to our surprise, we found two more places of interest in the town of Ratstadt just North of Freiburg. Of course we could not pass those up. The town if really cute with winding roads and half timbered houses everywhere. In the middle of the town is the beautiful Catholic church, Saint Alexander Kirche. Took pictures of the inside. It had some very interesting paintings. It was built in 1756 as a Catholic Parrish. It is made of red sand stone and is decorated by four large Holy figurines. One is for protection from THUNDERSTORMS, another against PLAGUES, another against INUNDATION and the last one against FIRES. The town itself is located between two rivers, the Rhein and the Murg which originates from the Black Forrest. Founded in 1084, it was an important trading center.
The residential palace is the oldest Baroque style residence in Germany. It was created to give the impression of an elegant, perfectly formed entity. The construction was started in the 1700's by Margrave Wilhelm of Baden Baden. He employed the Italian architect Domenico Rossi to design it, modeled on Versailles. He died shortly after its completion in 1707 and his young wife oversaw it. She was in power 20 years. In the courtyard as you enter, is a huge sculpture of Jupiter with a thunderbolt in his hand.
Most impressive inside is the Ancestral Hall. The many frescoes depict the ancestors of the Margrave as well as portraits of Ottomans that they had victories over. I was, however, not impressed with the color of the outside of the palace. Instead of the beautiful sandstone that it originally had, it had been painted with a yuck orangish color. I can't imagine doing that. Would you paint over a beautiful original Oak floor? Same thing. Anyway, not too far from the Palace was the Ratstadt Favorite Schloss. It has also been called the Porcelain Palace because it contains the largest European Meisen Porcelain collection. It was built in 1710 by the young Margravine Sibylla Agusta of Baden Baden. This is where her court held their festivities like hunting, banquets and concerts. The inside was not accessible to us this day because during the winter months, there are not enough visitors to keep it open. It has beautiful floors that look like marble. Frescoes and embroidered tapestries adorn the walls.
Near the Schloss is an English Style park surrounded with orange trees lining the Avenues and fountains. During the summer, many visitors stroll through the park daily. I was taking pictures and I suddenly smelled the most delightful scent. I had to smell each bush and found two, that were so fragrant. I took Pictures of the buds. Can anyone tell me what they might be?
