New Castle Sugenheim

The New Palace only took on its current form through extensive renovations, incorporating older parts of the building, between 1746 and 1749, and serves as a representative residence for the family.

The builder of the New Palace in its current form was Christoph Friedrich Freiherr v. Seckendorff-Aberdar (1679-1759), who held important positions at the court of the Margrave of Ansbach, most recently as Prime Minister, and had correspondingly high income.

In 1744, he commissioned the renowned court architect Leopoldo Retty (1705-1751) to redesign the palace. Retty had already made a name for himself as the building director of the Ansbach Orangery, the Residence in Karlsruhe, and the New Palace in Stuttgart.

In 1790, Alexander Friedrich Wilhelm v. Seckendorff-Aberdar began to transform the previously Baroque palace garden into an English landscape park. The side wing, known as the Alexanderbau, was raised by one floor; the interior of the palace was refurnished and decorated with Neoclassical wall decorations in "Pompeian style."

These were to be the last major alterations to the New Palace, as only cosmetic or substance-preserving construction measures were carried out in the 19th and 20th centuries. Finally, in 1972, Friedrich Freiherr v. Seckendorff-Aberdar sold both Sugenheim Palaces with the dairy, palace nursery, and various outbuildings. In 1975, the Old Palace was resold to the art dealer family Jan and Manuela Kube, who extensively renovated it between 1981 and 1983.

For years, the once representative New Palace was left to its fate. Decay was evident in every corner of the building.

It was not until 1989 that a major turning point came for the New Palace in Sugenheim. Hans Heinrich v. Garnier, with the utmost dedication and great attention to detail, revived the New Palace in Sugenheim. From 1990 to 1993, major damage to the building fabric was repaired, anachronistic additions and alterations were largely removed, and the entire estate was equipped with modern technology. The completely dilapidated garden with its pond system was replanted and cultivated with great patience.

Only through this enormous commitment of work and money can Middle Franconia once again rejoice in this architectural jewel.

In modern times, after the restoration, Schloss-Sugenheim became a meeting point for politics and business.

Politicians such as Angela Merkel (then a minister under Helmut Kohl), Ms. Renate Schmidt, Werner Dollinger, as well as numerous local politicians, have held meetings at the palace. Car manufacturers, medium-sized businesses, and local authorities use the historic location. Weddings, ceremonies in the Gothic chapel room, antique and Advent exhibitions with palace tours complete the picture of its use.