Prinzenhof

{{Short description|Former Dutch baroque palace of John Maurice of Nassau-Siegen in Kleve, Germany}}

[[Image: Prinsenhof in Kleef Generaal gesigt van t'Huis, Tuinen en Plantagien van de Heerlykheit Middagten. (titel op object) Veuë Generale de la Maison, des Jardins, et des Plantages de la Seigneurie de Middagten. (titel op ob, RP-P-1908-2470.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Prinzenhof palace and its gardens in its heyday by Romeyn de Hooghe (between 1685 and 1695). The palace had a beautiful view over the Rhine valley ]]

The '''Prinzenhof''' was a Dutch Baroque palace located in Kleve, Germany, designed by architect Maurits Post for prince Johan Maurice of Nassau-Siegen, the governor of the Duchy of Cleves. Originally built in the mid-17th century, it served as a residence and a symbol of Johan Maurice's influence in the region. By the late 19th century, the palace was repurposed as a hotel. Unfortunately, it was heavily damaged during World War II and was not reconstructed after the war.

John Maurice, count and (from 1664) prince of Nassau-Siegen, was a distinguished member of the House of Nassau, and a prominent military leader and governor. He played a significant role in the governance and defence of Dutch territories. From 1636 to 1644, he served as governor of Dutch Brazil. After returning to Europe, he accepted in 1648 the post of governor of Cleves, Mark and Ravensberg, and later also of Minden, acting on behalf of Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg, who had recently married John Maurice's niece Louise.<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=John Maurice of Nassau|volume=15|page=460}}</ref>

During his governorship, John Maurice transformed Kleve into a flourishing center of arts, architecture, and culture. The main ducal palace, the Schwanenburg Castle, was renovated by Dutch architect Pieter Post between 1663 and 1666, and a large Evangelical church was constructed as part of these efforts.<ref name=":Terwen" /> The Prinzenhof, meaning "Prince’s Court," was built as his residence during this period on grounds provided by the Elector to the Prince (for his lifetime).<ref name=":Christa" /><ref name=":Terwen" /> The location was overlooking the Kermisdahl river, an old branch of the Rhine, which runs through Kleve.<ref name=":Kle1">{{cite web |url= https://nl.kle-blatt.de/het-prachtige-prinzenhof-van-kleve/ |title= Het prachtige Prinzenhof van Kleve |website=www.kle-blatt.de |date= 3 March 2020 |language=nl | access-date=7 October 2024}}</ref> While the architect is not definitively known, it is widely believed to be Maurits Post, the son of Pieter Post, who also co-designed John Maurice's residence in The Hague, the Mauritshuis.<ref name=":Kassel1">{{cite web |url=https://architekturzeichnungen.museum-kassel.de/7889/33551/0/0/0/0/0/beteiligte.html |title=Maurits Post |website=architekturzeichnungen.museum-kassel.de/ |language=de | access-date=7 October 2024}}</ref><ref name=":Terwen" /> Post was assisted by Daniel Dopf, who supervised the building works.<ref name=":Terwen" />

After the completion of the Prinzenhof Palace, Prince John Maurice rarely used it, as he was actively serving as Dutch Field Marshal during the Franco-Dutch War.<ref name=":Terwen" /> From 1671 to 1676, he was absent from Kleve. Upon his return, he chose to spend his final years at his newly built country house in Kleve, Bergendael.<ref name=":Terwen" />

After John Maurice’s time, the Prinzenhof’s importance gradually declined over times. By the 19th century, it had lost its function and was transformed into a hotel. Around 1900, the hotel was extended, but it was not a success.<ref name=":Kle2">{{cite web |url=https://nl.kle-blatt.de/een-legende-het-prachtige-hotel-prinzenhof-in-cleve/ |title=Een legend: Het prachtige hotel Prinzenhof in Cleve |website=www.kle-blatt.de |date=4 August 2019 |language=nl | access-date=7 October 2024}}</ref> During World War II, Kleve suffered extensive bombings, with over 90% of the city center destroyed, including the Prinzenhof. The palace was never rebuilt after the war.

Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel has a collection of drawings and construction plans of the Prinzenhof, dating from the 17th century.<ref name=":Terwen">{{Cite book |last1=Terwen |first1=J.J. |title=Soweit der Erdkreis reich. Johann Moritz von Nassau-Siegen 1609-1679 (Exhibition catalogue |chapter=Johan Moritz und die Architektur |year=1979 |publisher=Städtische Museum Haus Koekkkoek |location=Kleve |pages=127–143 |language=de }}</ref><ref name=":Kassel">{{cite web |url=https://architekturzeichnungen.museum-kassel.de |title=Bestandskatalog der Architekturzeichnungen des 17.-20. Jahrhunderts |website=architekturzeichnungen.museum-kassel.de/ |language=de | access-date=7 October 2024}}</ref>

==Architecture== The design and architecture of the Prinzenhof Palace align with other residences built by Prince John Maurice, such as the Mauritshuis in The Hague and Sonnenburg Palace in Słońsk. However, the Prinzenhof and Sonnenburg were more modest compared to the more richly decorated Mauritshuis.<ref name=":Terwen" /> However, the Prinzenhof was more modern than the Mauritshuis as the staircase was not in the middle but to the side of the main axis, following the latest trends in French architecture of that time.<ref name=":Terwen" /> There is also a strong connection with Amerongen Castle, Middachten Castle, Hof te Dieren, and Het Loo Palace in Apeldoorn. These castles and palaces were all created by the same circle of architects and patrons (e.g. the Prince of Orange and his courtiers, like the earls of Athlone), influencing and shaping each other's designs.<ref name=":WiMa">{{cite book |last1=van Raaij |first1=Stefan |last2=Spies |first2=Paul |year=1988 |title=The Royal Progress of William & Mary |publisher=Darts |language=en |isbn=978-9067071918}}</ref>

==Gardens== thumb|200px|right|The Tempietto at the gardens thumb|200px|right|The Amphitheatre thumb|200px|right|Prince Moritz Canal The Prinzenhof was not only a residence, but also part of the baroque gardens and landscape that John Maurice created in and around Kleve, which are considered to be fine examples of baroque garden architecture in the Rhineland.<ref name=":eghn">{{cite web |url=https://www.eghn.org/de/die-entstehung-der-klever-parklandschaft/ |title=Die Enstehung der Klever Parklandschaft |website=www.eghn.org |language=de | access-date=7 October 2024}}</ref>

After assuming office in 1647, John Maurice started surrounding Kleve with various gardens, such as the Old and New Tiergarten, and the pleasure garden ({{Langx|de|Lustgarten}}) next to the Prinzenhof.<ref name=":eghn" /> The designs are likely made by the Dutch architect Jacob van Campen, who also co-designed the Mauritshuis.<ref name=":eghn" />

The oldest part, the Old Tiergarten, was established in 1650 and extended southeast of Kleve.<ref name=":eghn" /> In 1652, work began on the Pleasure Garden, and by 1653, the New Tiergarten was being developed on the Springenberg, utilizing its natural springs.<ref name=":eghn" /> Johann Moritz’s innovative idea was to integrate these parks with the surrounding landscape, connecting them through a system of star-shaped and parallel avenues, linking the parks and the city.<ref name=":eghn" /> The Nassauer Allee, lined with four rows of linden trees, became a model for Berlin.<ref name=":eghn" />

The landscape was further integrated through canals and sightlines that directed views to focal points in the surrounding area.<ref name=":eghn" /> The Springenberg, with its springs, became the centerpiece, where a terraced garden resembling an ancient theater with water features was created.<ref name=":eghn" /> By 1656, additional structures like pavilions and water basins were added, including the Prinz-Moritz Canal, which still aligns views toward the Eltenberg and its church.<ref name=":eghn" />

Although the parks suffered neglect and damage during the War of the Spanish Succession (1702) and the French Revolution (1794), their original layout survived.<ref name=":eghn" /> Important later additions include the Forstgarten by J.E. von Buggenhagen (1784) and the transformation into an English landscape garden by M.F. Weyhe in 1821.<ref name=":eghn" /> Despite many changes, the key characteristics of Johann Moritz’s original concept, particularly the integration of the natural landscape into the park design, remain preserved today.<ref name=":eghn" />

===Country Houses Freudenberg and Bergendal=== The Old Tiergarten also contained two country houses for the prince: ''Freudenberg'' and ''Berg en Dal'' ({{Langx|en|Mountain and Valley}}).<ref name=":Christa">{{cite book |last1=Birkenmaier |first1=Christa |title=Eremitagen des europäischen Adels -von der Renaissance bis ins 19. Jahrhundert |year=2020 |publisher=Michael Imhof Verlag |location=Petersberg |language=de |isbn=978-3731908579 |pages=132-135,356-359}}</ref> Freudenberg already burnt down during the lifetime of John Maurice in 1669.<ref name=":Christa" /> Bergendael was a smaller more modest country house, a so-called Hermitage, where the prince spent his last years and died in 1679.<ref name=":Christa" /> A funeral monument remembers of the prince, but his final resting place is not here, but in the princely crypt in Siegen.<ref name=":Kleve">{{cite web |title=De tuinen van Kleef |website=www.kleve.de |language=nl |url=https://www.kleve.de/system/files/2021-11/Flyer%20De%20Tuinen%20van%20Kleef.pdf |access-date=7 October 2024}}</ref> After 1679, the Bergendael country house fell into a rapid decline.<ref name=":Terwen" />

==References== <references />

==Literature== * {{Cite book |last1=Terwen |first1=J.J. |title=Soweit der Erdkreis reich. Johann Moritz von Nassau-Siegen 1609-1679 (Exhibition catalogue) |chapter=Johan Moritz und die Architektur |year=1979 |publisher=Städtische Museum Haus Koekkkoek |location=Kleve |pages=127–143 |language=de }} * {{Cite book |last1=Terwen |first1=J.J. |editor-last1=van den Boogaart |editor-first1=E. |title=Johann Maurits van Nassau-Siegen. A Humanist Prince in Europe and Brazil |chapter=The Buildings of Johan Maurits |year=1979 |location=Den Haag |pages=54–104 |language=en }} * {{Cite book |last1=Van der Wyck |first1=Henri |title=Het Prinsenhof te Kleef = Der Klever Prinzenhof |year=1986 |publisher=Canaletto |location=Alphen aan den Rijn |pages=16 |language=nl }} * {{Cite book |title=Der Lustgarten des Fürsten Johann Moritz von Nassau-Siegen in Kleve |year=2020 |publisher=Klevischer Verein für Kultur und Geschichte e.V. Arbeitskreis Kermisdahl-Wetering |location=Kleve |pages=22 |language=de |url=https://www.klevischer-verein.de/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/2020.09.29_Velten.Thomas_Lustgarten.pdf }}

==External links== {{commons| Category:Prinzenhof (Kleve)|Prinzenhof}}

==Gallery: Drawings and plans from the museum collections in Kassel== <gallery mode="packed" heights="190px" caption="">

File: Kleef Prinsenhof Voorkant Daniel Wolf vond Dopf 1671.png |Design for the front of the Prinzenhof palace. Drawing by Daniel Wolf von Dopf (1671) File: Kleef Prinsenhof Achterkant Daniel Wolf von Dopf 1671.png|Design for the garden façade of the Prinzenhof palace, which faces the Rhine valley. Drawing by Daniel Wolf von Dopf (1671) File: Kleef Prinsenhof Ingang Maurits Post 1671.png |Design for the main entrance by Maurits Post (1671) File: Kleef Prinsenhof Doorsnede Maurits Post 1671.png |Cross section of the Prinzenhof palace by Maurits Post (1671) File: Kleef Prinsenhof Doorsnede Oosten Maurits Post 1671.png |Cross section of the Prinzenhof palace by Maurits Post (1671) File: Kleef Prinsenhof Doorsnede Noordelijke zijde Maurits Post 1671.png |Cross section of the Prinzenhof palace by Maurits Post (1671) File: Kleef Prinsenhof Plattegrond Begane Grond Maurits Post 1671.png |Design for the ground floor by Maurits Post (1671) File: Kleef Prinsenhof Plattegrond Eerste Verdieping Maurits Post 1671.png |Design for the first floor by Maurits Post (1671) File: Kleef Prinsenhof Plattegrond Zolderverdieping Maurits Post 1671.png |Design for the attic by Maurits Post (1671)

</gallery>

==Gallery: Prinzenhof – Part of Dutch baroque tradition of castles and palaces == <gallery mode="packed" heights="150px" caption="">

File: Den Haag Binnenhof Mauritshuis 3.jpg |Mauritshuis File: Ordensschloss Sonnenburg.jpg|Sonnenburg palace File: Kasteel Amerongen in de zomer.jpg|Amerongen Castle File: Dieren Arrival of King William III at Hof te Dieren by P Schenk 1691.jpg|Hof te Dieren File: Achterzijde Paleis Het Loo Apeldoorn.jpg|Het Loo Palace File: De Steeg, Middachten RM515228 (11).jpg|Middachten castle

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Category:Demolished buildings and structures in Germany Category:Buildings and structures in Germany destroyed during World War II Category:Former palaces in Germany Category:House of Nassau-Siegen Category:Kleve