New Palace, Stuttgart

The New Palace is a grand Baroque residence on Stuttgart's Schlossplatz, built in the eighteenth century for the dukes and later kings of Württemberg. Modelled loosely on the great palaces of France, its three wings enclose a court of honour facing the square, with a facade of pilasters, statues, and a central dome. It served as a royal seat until the monarchy ended in 1918. Gutted by wartime bombing, it was rebuilt over subsequent decades and now houses state ministries, with its ceremonial halls occasionally open to the public.