Chattenburg

Chattenburg was a neoclassical château in Kassel with a large inner courtyard and wings extending to the east. The complex measured roughly 50 by 60 meters and was designed as a modern residence for the Elector, though later buildings replaced it.

Construction began in 1816 on the ruins of the destroyed city palace, marking a new direction in royal architecture. The structure was later demolished and replaced by a modern office building erected between 1957 and 1960.

The name refers to its location near the Fulda River, and the original structure was meant as a symbol of the Elector's power. Visitors can still see traces of this intention in the ornate facade design that remained visible until the modern building replaced it.

The site is now occupied by a modern administrative building that is not easily accessible to the public. Visitors can explore the history through surviving foundations and historical records found in the surrounding area.

The red sandstone foundations of the original château were repurposed and used as the base for the New Gallery built between 1840 and 1870. This material reuse shows how Kassel's architects of that era practiced resourceful building.