Last Saturday we took a trip out to the German countryside, to visit the Hall Art Foundation at Derneburg Castle, or “Schloss Derneburg” in German. Originally a fortified castle, the history of Schloss Derneburg spans back almost one thousand years. Today, the castle and its grounds are a public museum space for the Hall Art Foundation, a private foundation which makes available postwar and contemporary artworks.
There were 6 exhibition rooms for us to explore, both within the castle itself and in the old stables. I loved the juxtaposition of modern artwork within the ancient castle, and the large outdoor sculptures against the fairytale-like backdrop. It was a perfect, sunny day (unusual for autumn in Germany) so we took advantage of the foot trails throughout the castle grounds. It was so peaceful walking along the river through the forest and passed swan filled ponds with the castle in the background. At the end of our visit, we enjoyed quiche and wine in the castle courtyard, reflecting on the days perfect combination of nature, history and artwork. I am so thrilled we discovered this absolute gem just 40 minutes outside of Hannover, and I’ll be keeping an eye on when the exhibits change to plan our next trip.
Some more photos below of our day at Schloss Derneburg.
