In a marvelous location, high above Lake Constance proudly stands the New Palace (Neues Schloss) in Meersburg. The foundation stone was laid for the Baroque building 300 years ago. It was Prince Bishop Johann Franz Schenk of Stauffenberg who commissioned the building, and his architect was the Benedictine monk Christoph Gessinger. It took approximately 50 years until the Baroque complex had taken on the form we know today. Now craftspeople are in charge again. The former residential palace of the Prince Bishops of Konstanz will remain closed until the spring of 2012 due to necessary renovation and remodeling work.
The New Palace in Meersburg between the Upper and Lower Town and the Garden Pavilion high above Lake Constance
The striking lake facade already disappeared behind scaffolding in September. And there's a lot going on in the interior of this magnificent building. For example, the entire entry area from the bustling palace courtyard to the garden terrace will be modernized. A café area is to be built on the ground floor. After work is completed, the magnificent building will be barrier-free for handicapped visitors. In addition, a new utilization concept will also be realized in the interior for the entire structure. The Palace Museum (Schlossmuseum) on the 3rd floor will then also have a different appearance than today. Visitors can look forward to viewing exhibits previously not shown. In the course of the preliminary work, twelve paintings with scenes from the Old Testament were rediscovered, which belong to the original appointments of the palace. They are now being restored.
The Old Testament as the subject of a series of paintings
