Steinfurt

The Steinfurt Bagno, the former pleasure garden of the Count of Bentheim-Steinfurt, is a very special cultural treasure in the Münsterland. The art-loving count had an exotic garden landscape created in the forest near the castle. Visitors from all over Europe promenaded from the Chinese palace to the Greek temple, strolling between the Sweet Fountain and the cascading terraces. They strolled in the princess's flower garden and stole a kiss from their beloved on Rose Island. A bathing salon (Italian: il bagno) gave the garden its name. During the garden's heyday in the late 18th century, the Burgsteinfurt court was a bubbling source of musical life. Count Karl, himself an enthusiastic flautist, maintained a court orchestra of 35 instrumentalists and singers. For the summer months, the count had a concert hall built in the middle of the bagno. The "Grand Galerie pour les concerts" was modelled on the French "Grand Trianon" palace gallery in Versailles. While the court orchestra played contemporary composers of the Viennese While the court orchestra played contemporary Viennese classical composers, outside the open side doors of the concert gallery "well-dressed" visitors listened to the sounds of the instruments, which merged with the singing of the birds. Built around 1774, the Concert Gallery is considered the oldest free-standing concert hall on the European continent. Elaborate stucco decorations in the "Louis XVI" style, grottoed wall niches, richly decorated mirror walls and ceiling mirrors give the interior a unique ambience.