Schloss Jägerhof

Schloss Jägerhof stands in Düsseldorf as a historic palace with Rococo architecture and a museum inside. Prince-elector Karl Theodor commissioned the palace in Düsseldorf. Johann Joseph Couven designed its Rococo form, while Nicolas de Pigage oversaw the final construction. The palace’s construction ran from 1752 to 1763. Originally, Schloss Jägerhof stood outside Düsseldorf’s gates and marked the perspective of the Hofgarten riding avenue. The palace first served as the seat of the supreme huntsmen. During the Coalition Wars, French troops looted the building, which later served as a lazaret. Napoleon’s visit prompted a hurried renovation in 1811. After 1815, the palace became a residence for Prussian royal family members, including Prince Frederick of Prussia. The city of Düsseldorf acquired the palace in 1909. In the twentieth century, it housed French command headquarters and the NSDAP Gauleitung before wartime damage. Reconstruction restored Schloss Jägerhof to use in 1950. Since 1955, the building has served as a museum, with the Goethe Museum occupying it since 1987. The Goethe Museum presents Goethe’s life and work. Its permanent exhibition focuses on Goethe, while changing exhibitions address the humanities and literature. The palace garden once contained sculptures by Josef Bäumgen.