Steinfurter Bagno
Encyclopedia
The Steinfurter Bagno is a park
near the town of Burgsteinfurt in the German state of North Rhine-Westfalia.
It was founded in 1765 by Count Karl Paul Ernst von Bentheim-Steinfurt with the intention to create a summer residence for his family. The initial design followed the tradition of the French garden
which imposes strict order and symmetry on the layout. Following the succession of Count Ludwig in 1780, the park saw the addition of various buildings and structures, among them the so-called Greece and Egypt, and the imitation of Oriental and Far-Eastern styles. The oldest surviving layout dates back to 1787 which features 105 buildings, fountains, bridges, statues, islands, gardens and paths cramped onto an area of just 125 ha.
In later years, criticism on the excessive density of objects and architectural styles and the rise of the English garden
brought about substantial change to the Bagno. Buildings and other objects were removed, new ones constructed; straight ways were replaced by meandering paths, natural looking yet artificial cascades were built, large lawns created and exotic trees planted.
The Bagno developed into the most prominent park of Westphalia
boasting extraordinary fountains, a widely-known chapel, and a lake navigated by a fleet of small yet pompous ships. In a rather modern move, the Count opened the park to the general public.
The park experienced a sudden change in 1806 when Napoleon
's vassals seized the county. The Count traveled to Paris to talk to the French emperor in person and reclaim his position, but to no avail. His son Alexis maintained the park on scant means, and saw himself forced to demolish a number of buildings for want of money for their maintenance. By 1828 only 16 of the 39 buildings counted in 1806 remained; of these 3 remain to this day.
State contributions of 4.1 million Euros helped reshape the Bagno in 2004; the refurbished concert hall has gained particular popularity since. In 2006 the park became a member of the European Garden Heritage Network
.
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
near the town of Burgsteinfurt in the German state of North Rhine-Westfalia.
It was founded in 1765 by Count Karl Paul Ernst von Bentheim-Steinfurt with the intention to create a summer residence for his family. The initial design followed the tradition of the French garden
Garden à la française
The French formal garden, also called jardin à la française, is a style of garden based on symmetry and the principle of imposing order over nature. It reached its apogee in the 17th century with the creation of the Gardens of Versailles, designed for Louis XIV by the landscape architect André Le...
which imposes strict order and symmetry on the layout. Following the succession of Count Ludwig in 1780, the park saw the addition of various buildings and structures, among them the so-called Greece and Egypt, and the imitation of Oriental and Far-Eastern styles. The oldest surviving layout dates back to 1787 which features 105 buildings, fountains, bridges, statues, islands, gardens and paths cramped onto an area of just 125 ha.
In later years, criticism on the excessive density of objects and architectural styles and the rise of the English garden
English garden
The English garden, also called English landscape park , is a style of Landscape garden which emerged in England in the early 18th century, and spread across Europe, replacing the more formal, symmetrical Garden à la française of the 17th century as the principal gardening style of Europe. The...
brought about substantial change to the Bagno. Buildings and other objects were removed, new ones constructed; straight ways were replaced by meandering paths, natural looking yet artificial cascades were built, large lawns created and exotic trees planted.
The Bagno developed into the most prominent park of Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
boasting extraordinary fountains, a widely-known chapel, and a lake navigated by a fleet of small yet pompous ships. In a rather modern move, the Count opened the park to the general public.
The park experienced a sudden change in 1806 when Napoleon
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
's vassals seized the county. The Count traveled to Paris to talk to the French emperor in person and reclaim his position, but to no avail. His son Alexis maintained the park on scant means, and saw himself forced to demolish a number of buildings for want of money for their maintenance. By 1828 only 16 of the 39 buildings counted in 1806 remained; of these 3 remain to this day.
State contributions of 4.1 million Euros helped reshape the Bagno in 2004; the refurbished concert hall has gained particular popularity since. In 2006 the park became a member of the European Garden Heritage Network
European Garden Heritage Network
The European Garden Heritage Network is a nonprofit organization established in 2003 within the EU-Programme INTERREG IIIB NWE to foster transnational co-operation in regional development and cultural heritage...
.
Literature
- Döhmann, Karl Georg; Das Bagno, Geschichte des Fürstlich Bentheimschen Parks Bagno bei Burgsteinfurt, 2 Teile, Burgsteinfurt 1907, 1909
- Korzus, Bernard; Das Bagno in Steinfurt, in: Gärten der Goethezeit, Hsg. Harry Günther, Leipzig 1993
- ders.; 1792 im Potsdamer Neuen Garten, in: Wieder wandelnd im alten Park, Beiträge zur Geschichte der Gartenkunst...,Potsdam 1993
- Lübbers, Wolfgang; Das Bagno bei Burgsteinfurt – Versuch einer Rekonstruktion, Steinfurt 1992
- ders.; Das Bagno in Steinfurt - Ein Garten der Goethezeit, Steinfurt 1997
- Pries, Hans-Walter; Das Steinfurter Bagno, Alte Beschreibungen und Ansichten, Greven 1988, Schriftenreihe des Kreisheimatbundes Steinfurt, Bd. 5
- Strohmann, Dirk; Der Konzertsaal im Bagno-Park Burgsteinfurt, Wege zur Wiederherstellung eines Baudenkmals, Münster 1987
- ders.; Die Konzertgalerie im Burgsteinfurter Bagno, in: Westfalen, Hefte für Geschichte, Kunst und Volkskunde, Bd. 67, Münster 1989