Wilhelmshöhe (formerly Karlsberg) was begun by Landgraf Karl in 1696. It is a enormous expanse of baroque terrassing and cascades, occupying an entire hillside in the city of Kassel. The garden was modelled after the italian rennaissance gardens of Rome, and Karl employed italian architects (Giovanni Francesco Guerniero) and hydro-engineers to create spectacular waterfeatures similar to the Villas d'Este, Lante or Aldobrandini. The crown of the hill is the gigantic ‘grotto’ topped by the sculpture of Hercules, situated almost 300 m. above the foot of the garden. The main axis starting here extends troughout the garden, and into the city beyond it, to a length of 4,5 kilometers.
Karlsberg was extended by the later Kurfürst Wilhelm I., who rebuilt the main palace, changed the layout to a more english garden style, and added many features by Heinrich Christoph Jussow, including a faux medieval castle retreat, a ‘ruined’ roman aquaduct, and a romantic, artificial ravine with a dramatic bridge etc. Wilhelm also changed the name to Wilhelmshöhe.
D_Wilhelmshöhe2_Kassel by weyerdk on Flickr.
Reposted via F&O Fabforgottennobility
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