Poppeldorfer Castle

Under the rule of the former Elector Joseph Clemens the foundation stone was laid in 1715. He commissioned the French architect Robert de Cotte, who also designed the plans for the electoral residence, to do the planning. The castle, however, was at first completed in 1753 by Clemens August, his successor, who commissioned the famous master builder Balthasar Neumann to construct the building. Instead of an old water castle, a well-designed building was constructed, which surrounds a round arcade court with a quad of four wings. The annual “Poppelsdorfer Schlosskonzerte” (concerts in the Castle Poppelsdorf) form a special attraction for lovers of classical music. These performances take place here on summer nights in front of the illuminated façade of the Baroque castle.
In 1818, the castle as well as the bordering park of the university of Bonn were assigned and have been accommodating the scientific collections of the university of Bonn since then. The “Mineralogisches Museum” is also accommodated here.
The bordering palace gardens were converted into today’s “Botanical Gardens”.