Confessions of a Castleholic

Schloss Belvedere is located on a hill in the southern outskirts of Weimar and is surrounded by 43 hectares of parkland. Built according to plans of Johann Adolph Richter and Gottfried Heinrich Krohne between 1724 and 1744 for Duke Ernst-August I of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, the palace is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Classical Weimar". Got to admit upfront: Even though this palace is indeed visitable, I didn't do so which, however, did not have anything to do with a lack of interest but with a lack of time. After I spent a day touring Weimar - curiously enough a rather small but very important town in German history and cultural development - together with friends two years ago, we simply did not have the time and leisure to view yet another museum. One of only a few building projects brought to fruition under Duke Ernst August I which remain preserved to this day, the palace was originally a hunting lodge. The original plans had been drawn up by Richter...