Neuwied Castle

In the 17th century, the Counts of Wied relocated their ancestral seat from Altwied Castle to the Rhine. Count Friedrich III of Wied began founding a new city and constructing a castle, initially called “Neuenwied,” in 1648. This initial structure was destroyed by French troops during the War of the Palatine Succession in 1694. Around 1706, Count Friedrich Wilhelm commenced rebuilding the residence according to plans by Julius Ludwig Rothweil. Completion occurred between 1748 and 1756 under Karl Behaghel von Adlerskron. The original plans envisioned a horseshoe-shaped complex, but the connecting buildings were not realized, resulting in three separate structures around the castle courtyard. The exterior of the main building was completed in 1711, with the interior finished in 1713. The two wing buildings followed approximately 40 years later. Between 1714 and 1715, Giovanni Battista Genone and Eugenio Castelli adorned the staircase, upper vestibule, and ballroom with stucco work. The gate passage and guardhouses were built in 1719 and 1720.