Meierhof of the imperial castle Neukastel
The Slevogthof was built in the 12th/13th century as a Meierhof of the imperial castle Neukastel, which together with the castles Anebos and Münz created a system of fortresses for the protection of the imperial castle Trifels. Neukastel was destroyed in 1525 and 1689 and also its Meierhof was damaged in in the Palatinate war of succession.
19th century mansion
In the 19th century a mansion was built on the remaining foundation of the former Meierhof. The building and surrounding forest was later bought by Dr. Peter Finkler who was to become the father in law of the artist Max Slevogt. It was Finkler who built the octagonal crenelated tower in the style of romanticism. The western part of the building is still preserved. The later Slevogthof is a multi-unit building with front and inner courtyard and a terraced garden.
The Artist’s home
When in 1914 his wife’s family could no longer finance the estate, Max Slevogt bought the property by auction.
The family added a wing with library, drawing room and music room, which Max Slevogt painted with large-format pictures of operas such as the Magic Flute, Don Juan, Siegfried and Faust in 1924. Five years later he painted the ceiling and walls of the library with the four forms of expression in literature: The tale, represented by The Arabian Nights; the novel, exemplified by The Leatherstocking Tales; the drama, for Slevogt identical with Shakespeare’s Macbeth; and the epic, visualized with Ilias. These paintings by Slevogt are still decorating the walls today.
The artist died in 1932 on Neukastel and was buried in a family burial ground where his mother, his parents-in-law and later also his wife are entombed.
Slevogthof today
After Max Slevogt’s death, the Slevogthof was inherited by his daughter Nina and later by his descendants. In the 1970s and 80s it was transformed into a museum and restaurant. Some of the living and working spaces were left unchanged, for example the music room which is still decorated with the original furniture and wall paintings.
In 2011 the Landau architect Thorsten Holch bought the building. Due to structural damage and reconstruction works it is now inaccessible for the pubic.
Guided tours on the Slevogthof
Guided tours for groups of at least 15 people can be arranged with ARCHImedes Bauträger GmbH. Please contact them directly at +496341 900900 or info@archimedes-landau.de.
