SCHLAUN, Johann Conrad
(b. 1695, Paderborn, d. 1773, Münster)

Exterior view

1767-73
Photo
Palace of the Prince-Bishops, Münster

Schlaun spent the last six years of his life, from 1767 to 1773, on lavish plans and works for the new palace of the prince-bishop in Münster, intended to be sited at the citadel. The unoccupied ground between the palace and the town was to be transformed into a great park with avenues and squares on the French model. The palace itself was designed around three wings. The narrow sides were given their own façades. The main house therefore gives the effect of very shallow modeling for a Baroque building, perhaps anticipating the Neo-classical manner just coming into fashion. The palace can be seen in many of its details as a transitional building. When Schlaun died in 1773, only the exterior was finished.The interior was executed by Wilhelm Ferdinand Lipper (1733-1800), who completed it in a Neo-classical style in 1782.