"Beauty is Power"

(Grand Duke Ludwig, 1685)



Grand Duke Ludwig ruled between 1665 and 1688, and was doubtlessly one of the most illustrious Dukes of Scôz.

During his reign the city prospered, and he did the last major rebuildings of the castle. Ludwig was obsessed with beauty, but also with power.

In 1677 he commissioned a painting from the renowned french painter Charles le Brun (1619-1690), which portraited him as a roman god.

Ludwig also built the wellknown Glouzky Gallzydn (The Glass Galleries), an extensive Art Gallery, that stretched along the southern facade of the Burg. These Galleries were filled with sculptures and painting, very often describing the Grand Duke as a god, or in some cases even as a godess. (rumour has it that he liked to dress up as a woman)

Most of the Art Treasures were moved to Schloss Weizdgerbak in 1797, but few of them survived the bombings of WW2.

The facade at Groobberhdne (Gravy Gate) on the west side of the Burg was designed by Pier van Nozzle in 1678, and remained virtually unharmed until the demolition of the Burg in 1883 (as can be seen on this photo from 1883).

Ludwig had originally planned to demolish all the medieval parts of the Burg, and rebuild the castle as a true Baroque Palace.
But he ran out of money after completing the new southern wings.