Stadtschloss Hanau

While there are only sparse sources regarding the appearance of the medieval castle, the various construction phases from the 16th century onwards can be reconstructed from documents and older depictions.

In 1528, under Philipp II, Count of Hanau-Münzenberg, the city and palace of Hanau were newly fortified according to a theoretical defense system designed by Albrecht Dürer, which was built here for the first time.

The castle was gradually expanded into a palace, with Count Philipp Ludwig II (1576–1612) playing a key role in this transformation.

Larger plans by Philipp Ludwig II, such as transforming the complex into a Renaissance palace with a rectangular layout, were not realized due to his early death and the outbreak of the Thirty Years' War.

It appears that a rectangular wing was intended to be built in the northern part of the complex, incorporating the pigeon tower despite its differing orientation.

Philipp Reinhard, Count of Hanau-Münzenberg (1664–1712) began modernizing the residence palace, though his efforts were modest, as he also laid the foundation stone for the later-named Schloss Philippsruhe in 1701.

Between 1723 and 1728, Johann Reinhard had the palace moat filled in and a new carriage house built east of the stable, which was later converted into the Friedrichsbau under the rule of Landgravine Maria of Hesse-Kassel (1723–1772), who was regent of the County of Hanau-Münzenberg from 1760 to 1764.

From 1786 to 1792, it served as the widow's residence of Landgravine Philippine, the second wife of Frederick II of Hesse-Kassel, who was born a princess of Prussia from the Brandenburg-Schwedt branch.

In 1829/30, the medieval part of the complex, the original castle, was demolished under Elector William II to create more space for the palace garden and a carriage house.

The medieval sections no longer met the functional expectations of the 19th century, and the historical aspect of the site was of no importance to William II.

Additionally, the palace housed a post office, the Chamber of Commerce, a music academy, a pharmaceutical factory, the civil registry, and, from 1942, the Museum of the Hanau Historical Society.

The most notable change to the exterior was the addition of a sandstone gable as the new main entrance on the narrow side of the building facing the palace square.

In reality, the demolition was likely driven by the municipal administration's aversion to what they deemed useless remnants of a past they no longer identified with, as well as the completely different architectural goals of the time.

Although this annex is largely made of glass, it mostly obscures the historical facade and the richly decorated baroque sandstone portal of the southern gate.

Early city views around 1600 already show the tower with a three-story crown and domed roofs, which were added in 1605 during renovations under Count Philipp Ludwig II.

Views from the inner castle courtyard show that after renovations in the early 17th century, the tower featured a rusticated stone façade, with shell-decorated niches in its lower section.

The only depiction is a colored drawing by court architect Julius Eugen Ruhl, showing the partially demolished interior of the chapel in 1829.

The remaining section of the ceiling contains a late Gothic ribbed vault, adorned with the coats of arms of Hanau and the Palatinate, dating from the time of Philip III (1526–1561) and his wife Helena of Palatinate-Simmern.

The numerous renovations reflect the growing power of the Hanau counts and the expanding need for space, with the castle rarely meeting the expectations of its residents.

The count's manor was located to the west of the outer castle, and a guardhouse stood in front of the new chancery building from 1829 to 1886, as depicted in a lithograph from around 1870.

Additionally, a small risalit (projecting section) was added to the western part of the complex, as a transverse building from the old outer bailey was integrated there.

The three-story building connected to the old cellar structure at an obtuse angle, with the central entrance gate serving as a passageway to the older parts of the palace until 1830.

The Friedrichsbau, completed in 1763 under the regency of Landgravine Maria, was located to the east of the stables (Marstall) and formed a U-shaped extension of the Fürstenbau toward the south.

During this conversion, a new sandstone portal was added to the façade facing the Schlossplatz, featuring the Hanau coat of arms in the style of the time.

An extended stage building was added to the eastern end, meaning that today all the historical façades are covered with modern parts.

The portal on the southern side of the Marstall, made of reddish sandstone and adorned with various equestrian equipment on its pilasters, is now difficult to recognize.

The building is made of dark basalt rubble stones, with window and door frames crafted from red sandstone from the Main River.

She drew on experiences from her homeland, England, and had an English bosquet laid out around the oldest part of the Hanau City Palace, the medieval and early modern castle.

After the death of Landgravine Maria, her son, Hereditary Prince William of Hesse-Kassel, later the first Elector of Hesse, expanded the palace garden in 1772.

The arm of the Kinzig river that is now channeled through the palace garden is not directly connected to the former moat but likely emerged as part of a redesign of the park.