History

of Schallerscher Erbenhof

The former Palais Bernstorff emerged as three-winged farmstead, using older foundations, the early 18th century and is now known as Schallerscher Erbenhof.

In Thuringia, baroque townhouses and palaces are usually simpler and less decorated than elsewhere. The peaceful aura of their wide, flat facades has had a lasting effect on the surrounding streets and squares, including the main building of Schaller’s Erbenhof.

As early as 1847, two staircases were added to the main building, at an angle to the side wings adjoining it to the west. At that time, the property still reached as far as Schützengasse and was bordered to the north by the trench along the former city wall (today Schillerstraße). The eastern third was taken up by the town courtyard, which at that time was enclosed on three sides, and the remaining two thirds by an ornamental garden.

It was not until the further structural densification of the inner-city area in the course of the 19th century that the western half of the site was separated and built over.

After the acquisition by the Schaller family, hence the common name “Schallerscher Erbenhof”, various conversions were carried out from the late 19th century onwards.

The Bernstorff House is one of the largest baroque residential buildings in the Frauenvorstadt and occupies a prominent corner location in the eastern section of Brauhausgasse. Since the clearing of the war-damaged buildings north of Frauenplan, it can also be seen from Frauentorstraße. The two-storey, plastered mixed building with a mansard hipped roof shows a simple façade design with partly paired windows in axial connection. Its considerable width – the basket-arched gateway is located in the central axis – is not visible from the outside due to the northern row of houses in Brauhausgasse, which directly adjoins the building.

In the course of the complete renovation in 2002/2003, the side wings were demolished and built as a copy of the building. On the western side of the courtyard, a modern new building was constructed in place of the brick building, which is used as a hotel.

Only the main staircase accessible from the entrance gate remained of the equipment of the main building.

Among the most famous owners of the estate were Caritas Emilie Countess von Bernstorff, the widow of the Danish minister Johann Hartwig Ernst Count von Bernstorff, and Lord Chamberlain Ottilie Countess Henkel von Donnersmarck, grandmother of Ottilie von Pogwitsch.