The sgrafitto facade
The preliminary restoration investigation started in 1991 brought some spectacular things to light. Under the non-articulated smooth plaster from the 19th century was initially a yellow ocher layer of Baroque plaster - underneath, in turn, a large area of sgrafitto plaster that was painstakingly exposed, secured and conserved.
According to the previous building description, these decorations must have been visible until at least 1677. Quote: "adorned with all sorts of torn pictures from the outside against the courtyard".
In the ground floor zone, the plaster is covered with diamond blocks, the corners of the building are clearly highlighted with plaster blocks. In the area above, large medallions with message boards dominate. Only the southern medallion is still clearly visible, so that a Latin banner could be reconstructed (which can be seen on our title page).
In the upper area, the facade is covered with larger-than-life figures. In addition to mercenaries in contemporary uniforms, biblical scenes and landscapes with a hunting scene are grouped together to form a true tapestry that covers the entire facade.
Vegetable ornamentation and illusionistic pseudo-architecture surround the picture scenes. The decorations must have been plastered over by the 18th century at the latest, as Johann Schultz's pen drawing shows (see above).