The Museum Gate was created in 1705 and separated the Palace park from the city. Originally, a museum was supposed to be built in this area of the palace to house margrave Ludwig Wilhelm‘s Turkish loot. A fountain of the sculptor Jürgen Goertz is located in front of the Museum Gate.
Children discover Rastatt:
There was a large iron fence at the Museum Gate, which is the entrance to the palace garden and there was probably a gate guard there as well. Unless you were important, you were not allowed to enter the Palace garden.
The Pagodenburg was also part of the Palace garden, which shows that everything was a lot bigger than today. The curious citizens of Rastatt could peak through the Museum gate’s window grates to get a look at the baroque garden and the ladies in waiting and squires.
The margrave’s Palace guards controlled access to the palace. Only invited visitors were allowed to set foot in the Palace district. Strangers often wandered close to the Palace at night. They wanted to know how the palace was being guarded. That was important information for the enemy, who had its border fortress only a few kilometers away. Ludwig the town mouse can tell you about an adventure with a French spy.
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