The castle of Mannheim

It was built between 1720 and 1760. With a length of almost 450 meters and an enclosed area of six hectares, the extensive complex is one of the largest palaces in Europe. Mannheim Palace is the second largest baroque palace complex in Europe after Versailles Palace. During construction, care was taken to ensure that it had exactly one more window than Versailles. This should i.a. represent the important position that the Electors of the Rhine held in the Holy Roman Empire.

The so-called Mannheim squares, the division of the city center by blocks of houses instead of streets, start at the palace and are aligned towards it. The right-angled, even building principle of the city of squares is taken up architecturally throughout the palace. On both sides of the central building complex, elongated wings are attached at right angles, the main front of which runs parallel to the opposite city squares. (Wikipedia)