Reinhardsbrunn Palace fell into disrepair for years - now work is being done in the palace complex to secure and preserve the ensemble. However, it is still unclear how the castle will be used in the future.
Friedrichroda (dpa/th) - The work to save Reinhardsbrunn Palace, which is threatened with decay, is progressing. After the first acute and emergency safeguards, maintenance measures on the ensemble and in the park began this year. According to the Ministry of Infrastructure, around 1.5 million euros were raised for this in 2022. In the coming year, around 2.6 million euros are planned for securing and repairing the facility, which is of cultural and historical significance for Thuringia.
The focus of the work is therefore still on the preservation and restoration of the chapel. The stained glass windows and the large zinc cross on the chapel have been removed and are to be restored for reinstallation. According to the information, the floor tiles that were still there had also been removed and are now to be prepared for re-laying. In addition, work has already begun on the roof of the chapel.
In 2023, the restoration of the western and southern park walls in accordance with the requirements of the monument should also be tackled. According to the ministry, an ideas workshop on the future use of Reinhardsbrunn Palace is also planned for next year. The public should also be involved in this, it said.
Reinhardsbrunn Palace was expropriated in July 2018 by decision of the State Administration Office in order to save it from decay. A consulting firm that owned the property hadn't done anything to the ensemble for years. After a tough legal battle, the Meiningen district court finally paved the way for the expropriation of the historic building at the beginning of 2021.
The expropriation procedure is considered a precedent in monument protection in Germany. Reinhardsbrunn Palace was built in 1827 on the ruins of the monastery of the Thuringian landgraves. It was used as a hotel for many years and is one of the most important neo-Gothic palace complexes in Thuringia.
