Landschaftspark Bagno

The park founded by Count Karl Paul Ernst von Bentheim-Steinfurt in 1765 at first was a mere French park. The straightforward concept was only expanded by the construction of the concert gallery, the first free-standing concert hall on the Continent.
During the reign of Karl’s son Ludwig, the park became known all over Europe and with its collection of mostly temporary buildings like pagodas, a Turkish mosque and antique temples and the tallest fountain in Europe was a predecessor of modern amusement parks, as it were.
After the death of the count in 1817, most of the buildings fell into disrepair or had to be demolished for a lack of means. By 1828, only 16 out of 39 buildings had survived, only 3 of which are extant. Not having been tended, the park was reconquered by nature and this made it a nature protection area, which, until the Regionale 2004, again and again led to conflicts between the preservation of garden monuments, nature protection and recreational standards.
During the Regionale 2004 the park was carefully re-designed and the imposing four-row “Große Allee “ (great avenue) again connects the palace with the park. The Bagno square, originally a geometrical garden with hedge and flower aisles of which only a few trees survive, was re-designed in its historical form with modern materials and now provides space for events.

More at: European Garden Heritage Network (eghn.org)

Author: Editorial staff baukunst nrw
Last changed on 17.10.2007

Categories:
Landscape Architecture » Parks