Prinzenhof

The Prinzenhof was a Dutch Baroque palace located in Kleve, Germany, designed by architect Maurits Post for prince Johan Maurice of Nassau-Siegen, the governor of the Duchy of Cleves.

John Maurice, count and (from 1664) prince of Nassau-Siegen, was a distinguished member of the House of Nassau, and a prominent military leader and governor.

After returning to Europe, he accepted in 1648 the post of governor of Cleves, Mark and Ravensberg, and later also of Minden, acting on behalf of Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg, who had recently married John Maurice's niece Louise.

The main ducal palace, the Schwanenburg Castle, was renovated by Dutch architect Pieter Post between 1663 and 1666, and a large Evangelical church was constructed as part of these efforts.

[2] After the completion of the Prinzenhof Palace, Prince John Maurice rarely used it, as he was actively serving as Dutch Field Marshal during the Franco-Dutch War.

[2] However, the Prinzenhof was more modern than the Mauritshuis as the staircase was not in the middle but to the side of the main axis, following the latest trends in French architecture of that time.

These castles and palaces were all created by the same circle of architects and patrons (e.g. the Prince of Orange and his courtiers, like the earls of Athlone), influencing and shaping each other's designs.

[9] By 1656, additional structures like pavilions and water basins were added, including the Prinz-Moritz Canal, which still aligns views toward the Eltenberg and its church.

[9] Despite many changes, the key characteristics of Johann Moritz’s original concept, particularly the integration of the natural landscape into the park design, remain preserved today.