Schloßpark Nymphenburg Local Custom Tips by globetrott

maybe the most precious table in the palace

Take a closer look at this precious table with a table-top made of mother-of-pearl and different kinds of precious stones.
Special artists were working for years when making such a work of art and mostly their names are completely unknown today.
This table may be seen in the centre of the red saloon and has also ornate decorations at the table-feet.
For most of the artisans it was on one side an honour to be asked to work for the king, but mostly they were not at all well payed for their precious works of art...

holding the candles in the old times

Today we have electric torches and in the pre-electric times they had candle-sticks like the one, you may see on my picture .
A servant could carry it ahead of the king or emperor or in most cases it might also have been used as a portable light to be taken to different rooms and places, where additional candles were needed.
There are many of such candle-sticks in Nymphenburg palace, but in my opinion this one is the most beautiful !

A lovely mirror and two candles

Have a look for this clever way to light the rooms by multiplying the light of the candles with a mirror in the back.
And of course the mirrors in such a palace had their own great decorations and ornate golden sculptures around them, like you may see it on my picture !
And a lot of people of the staff had nothing else to do than light the candles and watch them burning down safely.
While most of the rooms of the palace were electrified, the red saloon in Nymphenburg still has these candles for their only light.

the ceiling of the chapel

Have a look for this beautiful painting on the ceiling of the chapel.
The chapel is inside one of the buildings on the right side of the palace, (when you stand in the front park)
From the facade of this building you would never get the idea to find a chapel inside, and I found it also more accidentally myself...

the chapel of Nymphenburg palace

It was a big surprise for me, that the door to the chapel was open even after the official closing-time of the palace-museum.
You may step inside a room, where you may take pictures through an iron fence in the back of the church.
And you will even have enough light for your photographs because of the big windows and bright walls.
The ordinary people attended the church service inside the lower church, while the king had his seperate chamber high above the ordinary people and of course he could get there directely from the palace.

come on, baby light my fire...

When you enter the big entrance-hall in the palace of Nymphenburg you will see these giant chandeliers 6 meters above the ground.
Nowadays most of the chandeliers are electrified, but just imagine the times before the invention of electricity...
Just imagine the effort , someone had to climb up on a ladder and make sure all the candles would be burning, before the king gets inside.
There are 2 circles of high candles and in total that chandelier is more than 4 meters high.
Watch out for the great golden sculptures on the different chandeliers - many of them show swans...
swans are quite a common bird in "Royal Bavaria" , when you imagine NeuSCHWANstein, HohenSCHWANgau etc.
chwan is the german name for Swan !