One of the largest historic residences in Europe
Mannheim Baroque Palace
The Knights' Hall in Mannheim Baroque Palace

Heart of the residenceThe Knights' Hall

The Knights' Hall is located at the central axis of the main building. The knights of the Palatinate Hubertus Order gathered here. As a large ceremonial hall, the representational room hosted splendid receptions, court ceremonies, and concerts.

The Knights' Hall in Mannheim Baroque Palace

False doors provided symmetry.

Monumental architecture

From the staircase, a double-leafed door led to the magnificent Knights' Hall. Of the four doors arranged on the narrow side of the room, two led into the neighboring apartment. The two others are false doors placed there only to create symmetry, a feature typical for the Baroque period! Five window axes provided views into the palace garden, which no longer exists. The Knights' Hall was almost destroyed in World War II and was reconstructed after 1947. Its monumentality still impresses today.

Royal furnishings

The Baroque ceiling painting by Cosmas Damian Asam were destroyed in World War II. In 1956, Carolus Vocke used historical photos to reconstruct the ceiling painting. It depicts a banquet of the gods to celebrate the marriage of Peleus and the goddess Thetis. Paul Egell created the Baroque stucco between the pilasters. It depicts Architecture, Music, the Visual Arts, and the Art of Healing. Marble statues of Prince-Elector Carl Theodor and his wife, Elisabeth Auguste, stand in the corner niches.

Ceiling fresco by Carolus Vocke in the Knights' Hall of Mannheim Palace, 1956

The ceiling fresco was masterfully reconstructed by Carolus Vocke in 1956 using old photos.

Portrait of Prince-Elector Ruprecht III from the ancestral portrait gallery in the Knights' Hall of Mannheim Palace

Prince-Elector Ruprecht III was elected king.

The ancestral portrait gallery – A glimpse of the family

The walls of the Knights' Hall are decorated with portraits of Prince-Elector Carl Philipp's ancestors. His famous ancestors included Ruprecht III von der Pfalz, who reigned as the German king from 1400 to 1410. The founder of his own line of Pfalz-Neuburg and his direct predecessors, his father Philipp Wilhelm and his brother Johannes Wilhelm, are also represented. Prince-Elector Carl Philipp is also present in the Knights' Hall: His noble portrait hangs above the left fireplace.

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