The Glitz and Glamour of Brühl

Celebrated for its architectural beauty, Schloss Augustusburg is among the finest examples of Rococo creations in Germany

- KALPANA SUNDER

Pulent, extravagant, over-the-top—even these adjectives can't quite describe the glory of this place: The 120-room, horseshoe-shaped Augustusburg Palace in Germany's Brühl—a small town between Cologne and Bonn—represents one of the first and perhaps the finest examples of Rococo creations in Germany.

The palace was the primary residence of the Cologne elector and archbishop Clemens August of the House of Wittelsbach until his death in 1761.

It is said that Clemens August was fond of music, parties, and hunting—his reign was marked by the extravagant display of wealth. In 1725, architect Johann Conrad Schlaun was commissioned by him to begin the construction of a summer residence on the ruins of a medieval castle in Brühl. Later he commissioned the construction of Falkenlust, which served as his falconry lodge and private retreat.