Biebrich Palace

Schloss Biebrich is a Baroque palace in the Biebrich district of Wiesbaden, Hesse. It stands beside the Rhine, opposite the Biebrich Wörth. Prince Georg August Samuel of Nassau-Idstein began the building in 1702. The West Pavilion survives from this first phase. A matching East Pavilion was added four years later, 86 metres away. The palace’s distinctive shape came from architect Johann Maximilian von Welsch. He joined the pavilions with a gallery and placed a circular ballroom, the Rotunda, at the centre. Completed in 1721, it remains the palace’s focal point. Later, Prince Karl von Nassau-Usingen enlarged the residence with identical east and west wings. The gardens were laid out in 1817 by Friedrich Ludwig von Sckell for Duke Wilhelm of Nassau. Today the palace serves Hesse’s state government for official events. It houses the state’s historic preservation agency. The Rotunda and the two pavilions still form the core of the building. Visitors walk through the central gallery and the circular ballroom. The Rhine-side setting offers long views across the river and towards the Taunus hills.