Princely Treasury in Thurn and Taxis, Regensburg

The Princely Treasury of Thurn and Taxis is a museum situated in the former stables of St. Emmeram Castle in Regensburg. Its establishment dates back to 1998 when it became a branch museum of the Bavarian National Museum. This initiative was undertaken by the Free State of Bavaria, which acquired more than 2,200 objects from the Thurn und Taxis family to settle inheritance taxes following the passing of Johannes von Thurn und Taxis in 1990. The total value of these items was estimated to be nearly 44 million DM, and they constituted the central collection of artwork accumulated over a span of three centuries.

The primary goal of the museum is to safeguard and present the acquired artworks within their historical context, allowing the general public to appreciate them. The museum found its home in the renovated north wing of the Princely Marstalls, a neoclassical complex consisting of three wings embellished with reliefs by Ludwig von Schwanthaler. The ground floor of the north wing now houses the collections of the Princely Treasury, encompassing diverse works such as goldsmith art, porcelain, glassware, clocks, furniture, and even a collection of rifles. Adjacent to it, in the former riding hall, the Marstall museum proudly showcases the Carriage collection, belonging to the Thurn and Taxis family.

In order to offer visitors an authentic experience, the museum displays the artworks in a manner that reflects their original purpose and function within the 18th and 19th-century court. Noteworthy exhibits include a porcelain service from the renowned Viennese porcelain manufactory du Paquier, console tables, and wall mirrors originating from the Brussels and Frankfurt Palais Thurn und Taxis, as well as a meticulously furnished boudoir featuring a dressing table.

The most valuable and precious pieces are showcased in an inner treasury, which comprises Prince Carl Anselm von Thurn und Taxis' snuffboxes, diamond-adorned jewels from the Order of the Golden Fleece, and liturgical implements and spiritual insignia obtained from the Neresheim and Obermarchtal monasteries following their secularization in 1803.