Illusionistic painting on the servants' floor in the entrance hall.
The entrance hall, or intrada, creates a lively first impression of the palace with its bright, illusionistic paintings. The ceiling fresco has a moral, Christian motif: the victory of the seven cardinal virtues over the sins. The gallery on the servants' floor can been seen above the side columns of the intrada. Damian Hugo von Schönborn had it built in 1726, deviating from the plans. The change required that the staircase be redesigned.
Underground twilight in the grotto.
There were artificial grottoes in many Baroque gardens. In Bruchsal Palace, a similar space was created in the interior. Despite many openings to the staircase, the grotto is only dimly lit, creating the impression of a cave. This type of space was intended to symbolize the earthly realm. Plants, shells, fountains, and river gods can be seen on the walls, references to the life-giving energy of water. On the ceiling, the painting gives a view of what lies above, in a sky populated with birds.
Many of the paintings on the ground floor, which were created by Giovanni Francesco Marchini, were reconstructed after World War II. The stone benches along the walls are particularly lovely. It's tempting to sit down on them, but they're only painted on the walls! On the left wall, original remains of Marchini's frescoes have been preserved: depictions of antique temple ruins, colored red by the fire after the bombing in 1945.
The Garden Hall of Bruchsal Palace.
The wounds inflicted by World War II can be seen even more clearly in the Garden Hall: The choice was made not to fully reconstruct these paintings. After World War II, rain and frost damaged the unprotected ruins further. On the ceiling of the hall, the layer of paint peeled off, allowing Marchini's original sketches to become visible. The destruction and reconstruction of Bruchsal Palace is documented in the permanent exhibition, "Built, Destroyed, Rebuilt," left of the Garden Hall.
