Schloss Philippsruhe
A photo tour to Hanau's icon
Schloss Philippsruhe is a beautiful baroque palace in Kesselstadt, a suburb in the west of Hanau, Germany. Join me on a tour to the past, and see some wonderful pictures of Germany.
The palace was built from 1701 as a summer residence for Graf Philipp Reinhard von Hanau-Lichtenberg, based on French models.
The two-storey main building, or corps de logis, is flanked by two one-storey wings on each side. Schloss Philippsruhe is one of the most important architectural and cultural monuments in Hessen.
Its location on the banks of the river Main, the large park behind the castle, the museum, the fairy tale festival and the restaurant terrace make the palace a favourite destination for locals and visitors from all over Hessen, and the world.
Within the museum is a small cafe that offers delicious cakes & refreshments.
Let me show you around one of the most beautiful places in my home town.
Facts & Events
Travel Tips
German States
Foods & Recipes
Culture & Customs
The Park
The beautiful park behind the castle is a favorite spot to relax. The Amphitheatre is the stage for the annual Brüder Grimm festival, as well as open air concerts.
The Historical Museum
Since 1967 the historical museum for local, cultural and arts history has its home in the main building of the palace. The ground floor houses the section "history of architecture" and "topography of Hanau".
The beletage, the most beautiful and magnificent storey, houses exhibitions of art and craftsmanship, including a collection of Dutch painters.
The word beletage is the germanised version of the French word "bel étage", which refers to the main floor of a palace or mansion. Well, we people in Hessen would say "Gut' Stubb" :).
The marvellous tiled stoves in the different rooms date back to the late 19th century. Along with two Venetian chandeliers they are the only remains of the original furniture and fittings in Schloss Philippsruhe.
Hanauer Fayences
The former dining hall on the beletage shows beautiful examples of Hanau Fayences like beer mugs, plates, cups and devices to hold the ink pot and quill pen.
Fayence (engl. faience) is tin-glazed pottery with beautiful paintings. The first German faience manufactory was opened in Hanau in 1661. Faiences were produced in Hanau until 1806.
Museum's Cafe
The Cafe, with a balcony overlooking the court yard, can be booked for festive receptions. As the registry office's wedding hall is downstairs, Hanau residents can celebrate their wedding in style at Philippsruhe.
The museum's cafe at Schloss Philippsruhe invites for a rest
Wedding Hall
Visitor Information
It is easy to get to Schloss Philippsruhe. From the main train station take bus 5, from the city centre bus 5 (Marktplatz stop) or bus 10 from either Marktplatz or Freiheitsplatz.
The museum in Schloss Philippsruhe is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 6 pm.
Admission: €4.00 adults, €8.00 for families (2 adults & 2 children).
Access to the museum's cafe is free. It is open Tuesday to Friday 1pm to 5:30pm, Saturday & Sunday from Noon to 5:30pm. Enjoy the scrumptious cakes everytime you visit the castle!
Visitors can also access the beautiful park free of charge.
Photos published with permission by the museum.
Papiertheater Museum
Papiertheater (paper or toy theatre) is a miniture theatre on printed paperboard sheets. They became famous in Germany and Europe in the early 19th century. The set of paper sheets were assembled at home and family and neighbours invited to enjoy the play. Toy theatres were replicas of popular plays and fairy tales.
Source: Wikipedia public domain
2010 the Papiertheater Museum in Hanau celebrates its 20th anniversary. The museum re-opened after renovations on Saturday 5th June 2010 with guest performances of notable paper theatres.
There are performances in the theatre about once a month.
The Papiertheater Museum is a special museum within the historical museum in the palace.
