Schloss Herzogsfreude



Schloss Herzogsfreude (also named Joy-le-Duc, the duke's pleasure) was a palace in Röttgen, part of the city of Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was a summer residence and hunting lodge of Clemens August of Bavaria, Prince-Elector and Archbishop of Cologne. It was destroyed in 1804 during the times of the First French Empire. Today nothing remains, except for a bronze miniature model of the palace at the palace square in Röttgen.

History
Cologne's Elector Clemens August of Bavaria (1700 - 1761) was an avid builder and renovator of palaces and hunting lodges within his territories. Schloss Herzogsfreude was one of these commissions. In addition, he was fond of hunting, primarily ‘par force’ hunts.

‘Par force’ hunts were grand theatrical events, meticulously planned to demonstrate power and greatness. Clemens August and his guests participated in the hunt, or positioned themselves centrally in the forest while they waited to be summoned. Meanwhile, the mounted hunters and their hounds pursued the day's quarry. From their waiting place, the Elector and his guests could watch the hunters, horses and hounds as they persecuted the frantic stag at great speed. When the exhausted stag was no longer able to run, the dogs held it fast by biting its throat, ears, legs and muzzle. Thus, the stag was “fixed” and the Elector was summoned with a special horn signal. He carried out his duty as the master of the hunt by killing the stag with a stab wound to the heart.

In the outskirts of Bonn, the capital of the Cologne Electorate, the ‘Kottenforst’ forest was a centre of such ‘par force’ hunts. As from 1727, wide avenues were created. And in the centre of these star shape radiated avenues, a hunting lodge was constructed between 1753 and 1761, Schloss Herzogsfreude. The architect was Johann Heinrich Roth (1729-1788).

The palace was impressive in size – the main building alone was 70 meters long with 19 windows. In addition, there were two side wings. The palace was completed and partially furnished, when Clemens August passed away in 1761. His electoral successors did not visit or used the hunting lodge. As a result, the palace stood empty. The French Revolution resulted in the French occupation of the entire left bank of the Rhine. The Cologne Electorate was dissolved and the last reigning Elector of Cologne, Maximilian Francis of Austria (1756-1801), fled from the invading French troops in 1794. There was no space any more for ‘par force’ hunts.

The French State became owner of Schloss Herzogsfreude, which sold it at a public auction in June 1804. A Bonn roofer named Peter Lander acquired the palace for an amount of 3,550 Frances. Over the next years, Schloss Herzogsfreude was demolished. Bricks, stones, flooring, copper roofing and other building materials were sold. A large part of the stones was used to expand the Wesel citadel. By 1810 the castle had almost completely disappeared.

What is left Today?
Today no ruins or remains can be seen. Only the network of avenues through the Kottenforst remain, just as a hunter's cottage that was constructed at the same time as the palace, and is now used by the forest administration. Also, there is the Saint Venantius Chapel, which was constructed as well by Clemens August.

In today's Röttgen there is not much that reminds us of Herzogsfreude Castle. Apart from street names such as “Schlossplatz”, “Kurfürstenplatz” and “Herzogsfreudenweg”, all that remains of the former electoral palace are parts of the former cellar vault, which can now be found under some private houses. Since 1984, there has been a small monument on the Schlossplatz, which, in the form of a bronze model, commemorates the former Herzogsfreude Castle.

In 2005, two paintings of Schloss Herzogsfreude created in 1759 by François Rousseau, the court painter of Clemens August, were auctioned at a French auction house. These paintings were also auctioned in the 19th century, at the Hotel Drouout in Paris in 1868.

Schloss Gymnich near Bonn has an Overdoor painting of Schloss Herzogsfreude depicting how the palace looked like around 1765.

The LWL Landesmuseum in Münster has an 18th century gaming table by Adolphe Jacque (created in 1760) where an image of Herzogsfreude is included on the surface, in a so-called 'trompe-l’oeil scagliola top'. This table once belonged to the furniture of Schloss Münster, a palace started by the successor of Clemens August.

In addition, various engravings, drawings and plans remain of the palace.