Isenburg Palace @museum.de

M: Just a five-minute walk from our museum, right on the riverbank, you’ll find Isenburg Palace. Check your screen to see the palace in all its splendour.

F: Although Offenbach wasn’t large at the time, the medieval Counts of Isenburg recognised that, as a market town and trading centre, it enjoyed an excellent strategic location on the River Main. In 1568, Count Ludwig the Third of Isenburg was appointed sovereign ruler. He remodelled the fortress that had been built on the foundations of an old moated castle to create this magnificent Renaissance palace.

M: Thanks to the favourable location, the following centuries saw a lively major city grow up around the palace. Present-day Offenbach owes its existence to the Isenburg family’s astute decision to establish their seat of power here. As a result, Isenburg Palace is the key symbol of Offenbach's urban development.

F: The passing centuries have left visible marks on the palace. The south side facing the city features a Renaissance façade broken up by arcades that connect the two stair towers. It’s regarded as one of Germany’s most beautiful Renaissance façades.

The north side, overlooking the river, has been left unadorned and retains its older basic structure. The palace’s mansard roof is in the 18th century baroque style.

M: On the wall behind you, there’s a copperplate engraving from the early modern period that shows the north side of the palace. It still has the original Renaissance style roof.

F: In 1943, large parts of the palace were destroyed in an air raid. Today, Isenburg Palace houses the Offenbach College of Design. Students from the college actually designed these exhibition spaces.