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CastleDarmstadt-Kranichstein
Kranichstein Castle
Kranichstein Hunting Lodge, a complex in Darmstadt-Kranichstein, is one of the few preserved Baroque hunting courts in Germany. Originally built in the late 16th century, it served for centuries as a venue for hunting and festive gatherings for the Hessian landgraves.
History+
The origins of the lodge date back to 1578, when Landgrave Georg I of Hesse-Darmstadt commissioned its construction. Between 1578 and 1580, a three-winged Renaissance building was erected under master builder Jakob Kesselhuth. Later landgraves, such as Ernst Ludwig and Ludwig VIII, had the lodge adapted to Baroque ideals of representation in the 18th century to host parforce hunts and other hunting festivals. Ludwig VIII also had the Dianaburg built in 1765 as part of the complex. For over 350 years, the landgraves and later grand dukes of Hesse-Darmstadt used the estate for hunting.
Source: Wikipedia · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Image: http://www.wehrbauten.de/thread.php?threadid=969
This description draws on the facts documented in the linked Wikipedia article; Wikipedia content is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wording and editing: Mobile History.
Location: 49.9003, 8.6975