Schloß Wolfsgarten
Encyclopedia
Schloß Wolfsgarten is a former hunting seat of the ruling family of Hesse-Darmstadt
, located in the German
state of Hesse
n, approximately 15 kilometers south of Frankfurt am Main. The hunting lodge was established between 1722 and 1724 by Landgrave Ernst Ludwig of Hesse-Darmstadt
. Ernst Ludwig's purpose in establishing Wolfsgarten was to pursue his passion for hunting with dogs which he introduced into Hesse in 1709. The original building corresponded to the usual pattern for hunting seats of that era with a rectangular yard around which was grouped housing for gentlemen, the stables for the houses, and kennels for the dogs. After Ernst Ludwig's successors abandoned hunting with dogs in 1768, Wolfsgarten was abandoned until the 1830s when the grand ducal family began to restore and expand the property. From 1879, Wolfsgarten became a favorite country retreat for Grand Dukes Ludwig IV
and his son Ernst Ludwig
.
In the twentieth century, Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig extensively modernized Schloß Wolfsgarten and rearranged its park. After the abolition of the monarchy in 1918, Wolfsgarten became the principal residence of the former grand ducal family. Today, Schloß Wolfsgarten is the property of the Hessian House Foundation (Hessische Hausstiftung), the family trust that holds ownership to the property belonging to all branches of the House of Hesse
. The property is open to the public only on two weekends in May during the annual Rhododendrenblüte (Rhododendron
festival) and again for a weekend in September for the The Schloss Wolfsgarten Garden Festival.
Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was a member state of the Holy Roman Empire. It was formed in 1567 following the division of the Landgraviate of Hesse between the four sons of Philip I, the last Landgrave of Hesse....
, located in the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
state of Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
n, approximately 15 kilometers south of Frankfurt am Main. The hunting lodge was established between 1722 and 1724 by Landgrave Ernst Ludwig of Hesse-Darmstadt
Ernest Louis, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
Ernest Louis of Hesse-Darmstadt was Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1678 to 1739. His parents were Landgrave Louis VI of Hesse-Darmstadt and Elisabeth Dorothea of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg ....
. Ernst Ludwig's purpose in establishing Wolfsgarten was to pursue his passion for hunting with dogs which he introduced into Hesse in 1709. The original building corresponded to the usual pattern for hunting seats of that era with a rectangular yard around which was grouped housing for gentlemen, the stables for the houses, and kennels for the dogs. After Ernst Ludwig's successors abandoned hunting with dogs in 1768, Wolfsgarten was abandoned until the 1830s when the grand ducal family began to restore and expand the property. From 1879, Wolfsgarten became a favorite country retreat for Grand Dukes Ludwig IV
Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse
Louis IV , was the fourth Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, reigning from 13 June 1877 until his death...
and his son Ernst Ludwig
Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse
Ernest Louis Charles Albert William , was the last Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine from 1892 until 1918...
.
In the twentieth century, Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig extensively modernized Schloß Wolfsgarten and rearranged its park. After the abolition of the monarchy in 1918, Wolfsgarten became the principal residence of the former grand ducal family. Today, Schloß Wolfsgarten is the property of the Hessian House Foundation (Hessische Hausstiftung), the family trust that holds ownership to the property belonging to all branches of the House of Hesse
House of Hesse
The House of Hesse is a European royal dynasty from the region of Hesse, originally and still formally the House of Brabant.-History:The origins of the House of Hesse begin with the marriage of Sophie of Thuringia, daughter of Louis IV, Landgrave of Thuringia and Elizabeth of Hungary with Henry...
. The property is open to the public only on two weekends in May during the annual Rhododendrenblüte (Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
festival) and again for a weekend in September for the The Schloss Wolfsgarten Garden Festival.