Schwetzingen - Schlösser-Magazin

that was begun in 1764 and created along
with the bosquets themselves. 72 This is an
elevated avenue, running on a bank and
providing both a clear dividing line between
the bosquets and the rest of the garden, and
a fine view when used as a promenade. The
tree chosen for it was the horse chestnut, that
had been introduced into Europe in the 16th
century and become fashionable in the 17th
and 18th centuries.
B.5. The Large Basin, the Bordering Canals
and Avenues
In his 1764 list of features to be built, Pigage
envisioned the building of a “grande pièce
d’Eau au bout des jardins” in 1766. 73 This was
a large rectangular basin west of the bosquets,
taking up the entire width of both of them.
The garden’s central axis was to be extended
right across it, continuing over a landscaped
bay on the further side of the basin, an open
field and on through a lane cut into the
woodland. The basin was lined by chestnut
avenues, at the ends of which statues were
placed to provide “points de vue”. The avenues
continued east, enclosing the garden; a water
channel ran alongside, and on the further
bank of this, another line of trees. A carefully
worked out system of dams made sure that
the water in the channels remained in motion.
They were fed by the Leimbach, a natural
stream running past the palace grounds;
the water was admitted in the southwestern
corner of the estate, and drained back into the
Leimbach through a number of outlets on the
north side.
Beyond the avenues, a “bois champêtre” (rustic
woodland) was planned that would be outside
the gardens proper. Work on the basin took
several years; the basin and channel rims
were still under construction in 1775, as were
the plinths for two statues of river deities
representing the Rhine and Danube. 74 Danube
72 GLA 213/110 of 24.7.1764, Heber 1992, p.14.
73 GLA 213/110 of 24.7.1764, Heber 1992, p.14.
74 cp. Pigage’s list of impending work of 16.5.1775, GLA 221/39 of
16.5.1775 and 231/111 of the same date, Heber 1986, p.467.
VI. Schwetzingen – Historical Context
appeared in Verschaffelt’s 1773 bill 75 ; the
Rhine, however, was not put up until some
time between 1776 and 1779. 76 Four large
ornamental urns marked the corners of the
basin.
In the 19th century Zeyher converted the
great basin into a pond with gently curving
banks. He started on the north, west and
south sides in 1823/24; by 1834, the east side
had been redesigned as well (cp. Fig. 8). The
statues at the ends of the former avenues
remained in place, the corner urns were
removed and taken to the palace garden at
Karlsruhe.
B.6. The Orangery and Orangery Parterre
The expensive upkeep of exotic plants in
orangeries was an important element of
aristocratic display in the 17th and 18th
centuries. Accordingly, orangeries and their
accompanying parterres were often of central
importance in the layout of palaces. From the
mid-18th century onwards, interest flagged
somewhat, and consequently the orangeries
could be moved to the periphery of gardens,
which is what happened at Schwetzingen.
The new orangery, begun in 1761, was first
used in the winter of 1762/63. The glass
house at the eastern end was added in 1770.
The parterre on the south side is situated
somewhat lower than the building itself, and
enclosed by a canal. Bridges were planned for
the narrow sides only. Pigage’s original plan
of 1762 envisioned a lawn structured by paths
for the presentation of plants in tubs; the
layout actually realized is reflected by Sckell’s
garden plan of 1783. After 1777, the corners
of the parterre were graced by four stone urns
by Johann Matthäus van den Branden. 77 Two
of them have since been replaced by cherubs
holding coats of arms. To the east and west,
arcades of elms served as a windbreak. Today
they are cut of lime trees. Statues of the four
75 Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv München Abteilung I, Allgemeines
Staatsarchiv, Fürstensachen 832 1/3 of 30.8.1773, copy of
1777.
76 Martin 1933, pp.348-349.
77 GLA 62/1136 of 6.8.1777, Heber 1986, p. 352; Johann Matthäus
van den Branden, 1716-1787, sculptor, from 1740 Palatine court
sculptor.
VI.
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