Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-05
A MAD KINGS PAE.ACE.
The Eeauties of the island Home of
the Late Bavarian King.
f-roM t1s ~ n nINv NC.


sailles as it rises out of the wooded Isle
on the Ohielnsee is that which best re-
fleets the artistic mind, which in the I'M
erring pursuit Of beauty has certainly
never gone astray.
The castle, Of which the central build
ing and the right wing only are complete,
a mass OF granite and solid stone adorned
with statues and reliels aud surmounted
by an attica at tue height of thirty yards,
stands upon broad eminence which
gradually slopes down TO the lake on b0th
sides. The view from the windows en-
braces park in several terraces, each
adorned with waterworks of colossal d.
mansions, so that the eye has to travel
over "A mile of nature improved by art be-
fore it reposes upon the blue surface of
the lake, encircled by violet hills In the
distance. To exclude all else from view
trellIs work, which In the course Of
years will form green wall fifteen yards
high, is raised on either side, a first wide
enough to comprise the terraces and
fountains, and narrowing as it slopes
down to the lake, but always spacious
enough for broad lawn in the middle and
two carriage drives.
AS we slowly ascend these drives from
tn lake the dimensions of the castle
gradually appear, and by the time
we have reached the lowest terraces We
are fully aware that We have one of the
finest buildings in the world before US.
The centre OF the lower terraces is oocu-
pied by the Latona fountain, consisting OF
i've basins OF red, green and yellow mar
bic, rising one out of the other. The
lowest is surrounded by siXty-fOur gilt
metal tOrtOises and crocOdlles, each the
size OF man, from whose open Jaws
thick jets OF water rise and fail JnIo the
basin above. Here m0nstrous golden
frogs alternating with strange beings,
hall men half animals, rise in strange
confusion, and higher up in the centre OF
the fountain kneels Latona, one arm OUT
stretched In supplication, the other wound
round the baby form OF Apollo.
The seyenty-two jets OF water are so ar
ranged as to pass over the white marble
group Of LatOna and Apollo, VINO are seen
in huge crystal globe, which the SUMS
rays gild and color. The water jets al
ternaIely rise and fall, forming thou
sand broken reflections ana myriads Of
fitting diamonds around the strange
forms to which the movement OF the
water gives animation and warmth. At
either side OF the LatOna fountain two
huge basins throw up thick jets OF water
winch can be seen from all the country
around. Twenty broad steps of Bavarian
granite lead TO the terrace above. The
centre is a gravel square, when allows an
three golden gates, to which, however,
rises another flight of granite steps. Ga
tbelarge terrace there is an oval toun-
tain at either side, gracefully curved and
adorned at eacn OF it's twelve angles by
colossal statues and groups Of gold river
gods, sprites and groups OF children.
Tue front OF the middle building, with
its twenty-five windows below, opening
upon a narrow balcony, and ils twenty
two windows above, is entirely taken up
by the large gallery OF mirrors, which is
fanked by two halls having six windows
at the side, that are separated frOm the
gallery by high columns only. NOtwttn-
standing the enormous space, il does not
look empty or desUlate. The ceiling is
arched and the paintings, which COM
mence ON the walls, gradually pass TO the
ceiling, where pictures In rIcn harmoni-
GUS colors alternate with bronze reiefs OF
a pale green color, both framed in rich or
naments OF gold. Opposite the twenty
two wlnd0wS are az many mirrors, aud
the space between windows aud mirrors
Is taken up by gilt candlesticks eight feet
high.
In front of every mirror and in front OF
every window stands an antique vase OF
silver, five feet high, and beneath 1t a
canopy in carved wood gilt, covered with
deep-blue velvet, upon which five rows OF
gold embroidered lilies an iuch nigh pro-
duce marvellous effect. Imagine all this
repeated iOrty-tOur times over, and add TO
IL the wealth OF color in the paintings on
wall aud ceiling, from which, moreover,
descend three rows of candelabra of gilt
bronze, with fifty candles each.
In eight inches stand white marble
copies OF the nOblest works Of classic art,
the Venus OF Milo reduced to natural
size, the Medicis, Diana and Niobe. On
columns OF malachite are placed busts of
the French Generals of the seventeenth
century, no heed being taken that their
victories signitied as many defeats for the
country whose King has placed them In
his gallery. The subjects OF the pictures
all treat of the life of Louis XIV. His
great and small deeds are immortalized
by the brush of the painter, ana IL is n
wonder that the Kings standardization
did not 20 so far as TO picture even the
devastation OF the Palatinate.
The next marvel and the greatest is the
royal bedchamber, a lofty room OF moder-
ate dimensions, with three windows
above and below, the upper being draped
with crimson silk that throws a magic
light upon the masses OF gold distribute
all over this regal apartment. IL is divided
into two parts by means OF golden
balustrade, the back part being rounded.
Here the Kings bed stands on dais, up
TO which lead five broad steps covered
WIN lhb1 NSiNSby Ou NAiCn arr tIuDIOlu-
cred large golden suns.
The bed il OF gilt bronze, a work of art
as we meet IL once In lifetime. 1t lis
covered with a cOunterpane OF gold cloth,
embroidered in colors, the centre repre-
senting King Louis XIV. without his
wig, large emerald on his breast, a
sapphire In bis hair. The bde is sur
mounted by canopy of gold with high
crown of gold in the centre and four
enormous bunohes OF white plumes at the
four corners; from the canopy descend
the curtains, to examine which lover
OF art VIII devote several weeks. The
outside is ruby velvet embroidered in gold,
so that OF the ground color scarcely any
thing Is seen; the Inside is covered from
top to bottom by pictures from the Bible,
at fret sight The product OF the miniature
palnter's brush but, on close inspection.
the triumph OF tie needewoman's skin.
Where could the hands be found that In
the short space Of few years could cover
twenty square yards with such marvel
nus work: The centre Of the back ground
- occupied by sun embroidered ia diR-
mOnds and pearls; aud when heard that
the King never once used this bedroom,
was led 10 believe that he expected Il visit
from the Rol SOlell himself and hOUed to
asfonlsh even his magnificent majesty.
Toe walls Of tbisrOOm are entirely hung
with rel velvet embroidered in gold, the
children holding garlands OF flowers be-
ing 80 solid that real baby held to the