Seehof Palace, Memmelsdorf, Germany

Seehof Palace was built from 1686 as a summer residence for the Bamberg Prince-Bishops from plans by Antonio Petrini. After secularization it fell into disrepair under private ownership, and by the end of the 20th century extensive renovation work was necessary.

Most of the palace is today used by the Bavarian State Conservation Office.

The nine state rooms of the restored Prince-Bishops' apartment, including the 'White Hall' with its magnificent ceiling painting by Guiseppe Appiani, are open to the public.

Among the features reflecting the splendour of the former Rococo garden are the restored cascade with its waterworks and some of the original sandstone sculptures by Ferdinand Tietz.

References:

Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung

User Reviews

SACHIT VARMA (3 months ago)
Gorgeous palace with vast premises of beautifully maintained gardens, tree clusters and fountains... The walkways within the estate are long and good for a serene stroll... There's a museum inside the palace as well but this place is much more popular for its palace building architecture and the gardens. There's a big parking lot outside and it costs €2 per car. There are many photo points within the estate because of the beautiful and ornate trees. Indeed a must visit place when in or around Bamberg! Highly recommended.

Astrid Renteria (5 months ago)
Nice to see. Easy to get there

Дмитрий Кузнецов (5 months ago)
Nice park, very good restaurant on the territory, but we expected more from the museum's part

Schorsch K (12 months ago)
Awesome Park and Chateau. Been there in the winter. I think you should go in the Summertime or spring.

Ankit Ramani (2 years ago)
Very nice location. Castle looks very beautiful in all the seasons. We are regular visitors of this castle and always have nice and peaceful feeling.

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The Palazzo Colonna is a palatial block of buildings built in part over ruins of an old Roman Serapeum, and has belonged to the prestigious Colonna family for over twenty generations.

The first part of the palace dates from the 13th century, and tradition holds that the building hosted Dante in his visit to Rome. The first documentary mention notes that the property hosted Cardinal Giovanni and Giacomo Colonna in the 13th century. It was also home to Cardinal Oddone Colonna before he ascended to the papacy as Martin V (1417–1431).

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Starting with Filippo Colonna (1578–1639) many changes have refurbished and create a unitary complex around a central garden. Architects including Girolamo Rainaldi and Paolo Marucelli labored on specific projects. Only in the 17th and 18th centuries were the main facades completed. Much of this design was completed by Antonio del Grande (including the grand gallery), and Girolamo Fontana (decoration of gallery). In the 18th century, the long low facade designed by Nicola Michetti with later additions by Paolo Posi with taller corner blocks (facing Piazza Apostoli) was constructed recalls earlier structures resembling a fortification.

The main gallery (completed 1703) and the masterful Colonna art collection was acquired after 1650 by both the cardinal Girolamo I Colonna and his nephew the Connestabile Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna and includes works by Lorenzo Monaco, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Palma the Elder, Salviati, Bronzino, Tintoretto, Pietro da Cortona, Annibale Carracci (painting of The Beaneater), Guercino, Francesco Albani, Muziano and Guido Reni. Ceiling frescoes by Filippo Gherardi, Giovanni Coli, Sebastiano Ricci, and Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari celebrate the role of Marcantonio II Colonna in the battle of Lepanto (1571). The gallery is open to the public on Saturday mornings.

The older wing of the complex known as the Princess Isabelle"s apartments, but once housing Martin V"s library and palace, contains frescoes by Pinturicchio, Antonio Tempesta, Crescenzio Onofri, Giacinto Gimignani, and Carlo Cesi. It contains a collection of landscapes and genre scenes by painters like Gaspard Dughet, Caspar Van Wittel (Vanvitelli), and Jan Brueghel the Elder.

Along with the possessions of the Doria-Pamphilij and Pallavacini-Rospigliosi families, this is one of the largest private art collections in Rome.

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