A historic monument: the Gottorf Globe
Schloss Gottorf has a giant globe and globe building once again, and it has a new baroque garden. The technical masterpiece and the former botanical sensation have been restored to match the historic originals from the 17th century.
The giant globe: a historic masterpiece …
It was considered a masterpiece worldwide: the Gottorf Giant Globe with a diameter of three metres, conceived at the Gottorf Court by Duke Friedrich III in the 17th century, planned by the great court scholar Adam Olearius, and finally built by gifted craftsmen. A summerhouse was specially constructed for it in the spacious ‘Neues Werk’ gardens north of the castle. A masterly monument which bears witness to great craftsmanship, scientific knowledge and technical ability.
The history of the globe has many facets – Tsar Peter the Great brought it to St Petersburg in 1713, where it later almost burnt down. Only some remains are left of it today.
… restored along with the globe building …
Now Schloss Gottorf has a new globe, an imposing restoration from the original plans. An entirely modern globe building has been constructed in the current Neuwerk-Garten to house it. This makes for a fascinating combined work which attracts visitors from far and wide. The globe represents the earth from the outside and visitors can walk inside it. A magnificent construction painted in many colours according to the historical model and the knowledge of the time. You get into the giant sphere via a small staircase and through a door bearing a coat of arms. Sitting on the bench, you discover a historic planetarium painted onto the inside of the globe. The vault of heaven surrounds you and you regard the star-filled sky as if looking from earth. A wonderful historical experience!
… in the middle of the idyllic baroque garden!
The first part of the impressive baroque garden has also been reconstructed which Duke Friedrich III first had started in 1637. It was the first terraced garden modelled on the Italian design in Central Europe, with streams and cascades and some 1,200 plants which were not native to Schleswig-Holstein. A botanical sensation, maintained in expert fashion. A handful of the historic imported plants, known as ‘Stinzenpflanzen’, were rediscovered on the site and cultivated once more. In the years to come, the garden is to be restored to its greatest former splendour of around 1700.
More information
Stiftung Schleswig-Holsteinische Landesmuseen
Schloß Gottorf
24837 Schleswig
Phone: +49 (0)4621 8130
eMail: info@schloss-gottorf.de
Internet: www.schloss-gottorf.de
