ENGEL, Josef Franz

One of the most interesting collections of Neoclassical and Romantic buildings can be found situated along the Thaya on the border between Austria and Moravia. Along the seven-kilometer avenue which connected their residences at Feldsberg (Valtice) and Eisgrub (Lednice), the princes of Liechtenstein laid out a landscape garden on the English model with buildings from a variety of different architectural styles. From the 13th century to 1945 both locations were inextricably linked to the House of Liechtenstein, and in the 16th century Feldsberg became the main seat of the princes, along with their summer residence at Eisgrub. It was towards the end of the 18th century that Prince Johann Josef I began to regulate the countryside, laying out the gigantic landscape garden that still exists today.

The princes’ architects, Joseph Hardtmuth, Joseph Kornhäusel and Franz Engel created an architecture of follies, pavilions, miniature palaces and all the other accoutrements of an English garden in Feldsberg and Eisgrub.

The Temple of Three Graces (1824) and the Border Palace (1826-27), both by Franz Engel, served as resting places for hunting parties. The Temple of Three Graces is a semi-circular colonnade faced with Palladian motifs. The colonnade encloses the eponymous group of figures by the sculptor Josef Klieber (1773-1850).

One of the most interesting collections of Neoclassical and Romantic buildings can be found situated along the Thaya on the border between Austria and Moravia. Along the seven-kilometer avenue which connected their residences at Feldsberg (Valtice) and Eisgrub (Lednice), the princes of Liechtenstein laid out a landscape garden on the English model with buildings from a variety of different architectural styles. From the 13th century to 1945 both locations were inextricably linked to the House of Liechtenstein, and in the 16th century Feldsberg became the main seat of the princes, along with their summer residence at Eisgrub. It was towards the end of the 18th century that Prince Johann Josef I began to regulate the countryside, laying out the gigantic landscape garden that still exists today.

The princes’ architects, Joseph Hardtmuth, Joseph Kornhäusel and Franz Engel created an architecture of follies, pavilions, miniature palaces and all the other accoutrements of an English garden in Feldsberg and Eisgrub.

The Temple of Three Graces (1824) and the Border Palace (1826-27), both by Franz Engel, served as resting places for hunting parties. The Temple of Three Graces is a semi-circular colonnade faced with Palladian motifs. The colonnade encloses the eponymous group of figures by the sculptor Josef Klieber (1773-1850).

After the Benedictine Order was re-established in 1802, in the 1820a and 1830s several plans were drawn up for the full, large-scale reconstruction of the ancient archabbey in Pannonhalma. Precedents for the designs probably came from the monastery complexes of Austria and southern Germany. Working as a designer in the first stage of construction was Josef Franz Engel. Although he produced plans for the entire suite of buildings at Pannonhalma, only the library was constructed according to his concept in 1824-26.

The library occupies a separate wing of the building. Its geometrically pure space is covered by a single barrel vault. A gallery supported by wooden columns runs around the room. The decoration is the work of Josef Klieber (1773-1850) who was known primarily as a sculptor, but here he was also responsible for the painted works.

After the Benedictine Order was re-established in 1802, in the 1820a and 1830s several plans were drawn up for the full, large-scale reconstruction of the ancient archabbey in Pannonhalma. Precedents for the designs probably came from the monastery complexes of Austria and southern Germany. Working as a designer in the first stage of construction was Josef Franz Engel. Although he produced plans for the entire suite of buildings at Pannonhalma, only the library was constructed according to his concept in 1824-26.

The library occupies a separate wing of the building. Its geometrically pure space is covered by a single barrel vault. A gallery supported by wooden columns runs around the room. The decoration is the work of Josef Klieber (1773-1850) who was known primarily as a sculptor, but here he was also responsible for the painted works.