Schloss Benrath is a Rococo

Rococo

Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...

 maison de plaisance near Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...

, Germany, erected for the Elector Palatine Charles Theodore

Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria

Charles Theodore, Prince-Elector, Count Palatine and Duke of Bavaria reigned as Prince-Elector and Count palatine from 1742, as Duke of Jülich and Berg from 1742 and also as Prince-Elector and Duke of Bavaria from 1777, until his death...

 by his garden and building director and garden supervisor, Nicolas de Pigage

Nicolas de Pigage

Nicolas de Pigage was a French builder.Pigage was born in Lunéville. His father was a stonemason. In 1743 he began his studies at the École Militaire changing to the Académie Royale d'Architecture after only one year studying under Jacques-François Blondel...

. It was begun in 1755, and by the time it was completed in 1770, some elements of Neoclassicism

Neoclassicism

Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...

 were detectable in its interior finishing.

Two symmetrical wings flank the central corps de logis

Corps de logis

Corps de logis is the architectural term which refers to the principal block of a large, usually classical, mansion or palace. It contains the principal rooms, state apartments and an entry. The grandest and finest rooms are often on the first floor above the ground level: this floor is the...

. The Museum for European Garden Art was founded in the east wing of Benrath in 2002. The west wing houses a museum of natural history. Changing exhibitions and concerts of music are presented in the main building, which is only sparsely furnished.

The ensemble at Benrath has been proposed for designation as a UNESCO

UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...

 World Heritage Site

World Heritage Site

A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...

.

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