 Hirsau, maquette of Abbey and Castle
The Romanesque basilica and the ducal Castle from 1592. A latter a creation of Duke Ludwig's star architect Beer. It was burned down exactly 100 years later. Foreground: a daring water race. Some of the rebuilt granaries house today administrative offices.
|  Hirsau, maquette of Abbey and Castle
Hot air balloon perspective. - There are limits what you can do with retouching. The maquette is under glass. Some glaring surfaces are unavoidable.
|  Hirsau, ground floor plan
|  Renaissance Castle, outer gateway
|  Renaissance Castle
The 'Royal Crown' on top of the Duke's coat of arm somewhat tricky. I guess you can always call it something else. - The brace of fish in the forth quarter stand for Montbéliard/Mömpelgard. (Duke Frederick II saying: A brace of fish for a crown. The title upgrade was in part a compensation of the ceded territory.)
|
 Renaissance Castle, Torturm
This second gateway leads to the ducal apartment complex.
|  Renaissance castle, Torturm
The clockface is historic collage. Melac is shown in the upper left hand corner. Know thy nemesis.
|  Renaissance Castel, Torturm
inner courtyard view
|  Renaissance Castle, Torturm
This perspective make believe clockface may come close to the orginal.
|  Renaissance Castle, Torturm
|
 Renaissance Castle,Torturm
Dressed lady in mixed company. At least everyone is properly ided.
|  Renaissance Castle, 'funnel' tower
personal tag
|  Renaissance Castle, ' funnel' tower
|  Renaissance Castle, backdrop
Little house in the forest. Suitable for spyglass observation of the duke's apartments. Probably as good a place as any to look for a dusty 17th century secret service manual.
|  Renaissance Castle, 'funnel' tower
|
 Renaissance Castle, middle tract
|  Renaissance Castle, middle tract
Monorail silhouette. Terminating stop.
|  Renaissance Castle, middle tract
|  House of the four gables
most likely the ducal suite
|  House of the four gables
|
 House of the four gables
|  House of the four gables
All gables, once brightly painted, were originally topped by weather vanes.
|  House of the four gables
Bullseye. One of the four weather vanes of the castle. And some things never change. Actually not too bad if one consider that they had only smoothbores at the time. > KMH
|  House of the four gables
Attached weather vane. The 'streamers' are missing. > KMH
|  house of the four gables
The fountain of the ducal courtyard is currently removed. I suspect that the water conduits of the abbey were tapped. This may also explain the pond. The two linden trees which did once grown inside the gutted building are the subject matter for a slightly 'transcendental' Uhland poem. I would not judge their height as exceptional. - Oil painting by Albert Kappis, 1865 > Original, KMH.
|
 House of the four gables
no follie without a parasoled little lady in white. - Oil painting. Probably also by Kappis. > KMH
|  House of the four gables
Renaissance Castle, Nagold side - Robert Stieler, 1870, print > KMH (Klostermuseum Hirsau)
|  Hirsau, house of the four gables
one more linden tree
|  Hirsau, house of the four gables
There is an external truss. Internal steel girders shore up the gables. The overall effect is somewhat Potemkin like.
|  house of the four gables
night vision
|
 house of the four gables
|  Hirsau, House of the four gables
view from the partially paved summer refectory of the abbey
|  Hirsau, house of the four gables
view from the Abbey kitchen
|  house of the four gables
Black Forest view
|  house of the four gables
Black Forest view. Plot prices (up to 50% of the total building costs) are still comparably low in some Black Forest locations.
|
 Hirsau, House of the four gables
4th floor party space for rent complete with hand carved chimney consoles.
|  house of the four gables
Fallout shelter (locked). Standard root cellar vaulting.
|  Dukal estate, hacienda part
The flower mill and bakery belonged originally to the abbey. It was later incorporated into the Castle complex.
|  Dukal estate, hacienda part
garret hoist
|  Dukal estate, hacienda part
cartwright house
|
