The beginnings of the Garden Kingdom Dessau-Wörlitz

To protect against frequent floods of the Elbe and Mulde rivers, Prince Franz had not only dikes built, but also guard stations – better known as wall guard houses – such as the Elbe pavilion and the Piedmont farmhouse. Elsewhere, trees were planted to ward off ice floes. He also devoted himself to the drainage measures introduced by his grandfather Leopold I of Anhalt-Dessau; the capitol ditch between Oranienbaum and Dessau is an exemplary example of this. Fruit trees were planted extensively on land reclaimed in this way, which also lined numerous roads in the Principality.

With regard to the promotion of popular education, rural schools – for boys and girls – were increasingly established, for which a new building was erected if required. One such building is the Griesen school building near Wörlitz, designed by Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff and still preserved today.

A further aspect of the Enlightenment that was to enter Anhalt-Dessau concerned religious tolerance: in 1789/90, Jews created a synagogue on the shores of Lake Wörlitz, not far from the palace, which still exists today and is used as an exhibition space.

The combination of use and beauty should find its climax in the Wörlitzer Park. It is accessible to everyone and is an extensive educational play in the truest sense of the word, exemplified by the bridges and the island of Stein. 19 unique bridges connect the banks of the canal and allow the manifold construction possibilities as well as the history of the art of bridge building to be reconstructed: The Hornzackenbrücke, for example, is reminiscent of a tree trunk and thus symbolizes the oldest form of waterway crossing; the Schwimmbrücke refers to the use of pontoons; and the Kettenbrücke stands for suspension bridges.

The artificial island of Stein was created in 1788 – more than 20 years after the return from Italy – and is partly based on the Gulf of Naples. The grass iron stone used in the construction looks very similar to the tuff stone from the surroundings of Vesuvius. The active volcano, which the prince had climbed, has been immortalized as a functioning replica on a smaller scale. The interior reveals a multitude of aspects of the southern Italian landscape, such as an ancient tomb vault, ruins of an ancient grammar school and several caves and grottos.

Immediately adjacent to it is the ancient theatre, which is based on the original buildings of the Roman Empire.

The Villa Hamilton with its striking red and white façade is a smaller version reminiscent of the Neapolitan summer residence of the British diplomat and volcanologist Sir William Hamilton, whom Prince Franz had come to know and appreciate in Campania. Figs, agaves, Lombard poplars and pine trees round off the Italian-inspired ensemble.