The grand ducal Marstall enjoys a picturesque location on a peninsula in Lake Schwerin, offering an ideal combination of natural beauty and architectural coherence. It was constructed in close proximity to the palace and in alignment with the inner-city street Großer Moor. Court architect Georg Adolph Demmler based his plans on the existing Marstall in Ludwigslust. The construction took place between 1838 and 1842. However, its present appearance was achieved between 1854 and 1873 when court architect Hermann Willebrand undertook extensive remodeling and expansion.
With the new Marstall, the previous stables in the Alten Garten could finally be dissolved, as they were considered too small. Visitors today enter the open two-story trapezoidal complex, an extension of the former grand thoroughfare Großer Moor. Opposite lies the 167-meter-long northeast wing. The Marstall consists of the central building of the historic riding hall and two long building wings. These, in turn, are bounded by four two-story corner pavilions and two corner buildings. Rectangular bends in the building wings create an almost enclosed courtyard, which used to serve as a drill ground for equestrian exercises. In addition to the riding hall, the Marstall housed the stables and a large storage area for carriages and riding gear. Another building wing provided accommodation for the staff.
About the style
The outer structure of the Marstall is constructed in masonry, while the interior walls are executed in timber framing. The exterior openings on the ground floor are arranged in rounded and arcade-shaped recesses. The inner ground floor openings in the north wing are grouped in pairs and framed by enclosed niches. The windows above are crowned with triangular plaster decorations. The building edges at the corner and end buildings are emphasized by plaster blocks.
In 1858, Theodor Klett redesigned the former Wadewiesen, where fishing nets—known as "Waden"—had previously been dried. He created an English-style garden that extended to the shores of Lake Schwerin.
From 2002 to 2007, the Marstall underwent extensive renovation and restoration and has since served as an administrative building for the state government of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. In 2009, the site was included in the Bundesgartenschau Schwerin (Federal Garden Show Schwerin). To the left of the impressive building complex, there is a water sports and gastronomy location on the lakefront.
