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On August 30 and 31, a Baroque festival will take place at the Fortress Königstein in Saxony. The occasion is the 300th anniversary of the inauguration of the then largest filled wine barrel in the world. The planner of this prestige object for the Saxon Elector and Polish King Augustus the Strong (1670–1733) was the architect Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann, the builder of the Dresden Zwinger.
Wooden barrels with large volumes were already produced in the Middle Ages. However, the builders' intention was usually not to store wine or other liquids in them, but to use them as showpieces and prestige objects. The fact that many of these barrels are located in Germany is the result of a competition that began in the 16th century between the Electors of the Palatinate and those of Saxony for the possession of the largest wine barrel.
The Königstein barrel, made of 157 staves, was as large as a single-family house, with a height of ten meters and a length of nine meters. It was richly decorated, featured a walkable gallery, and held 238,600 liters. After its completion in 1725, it was filled. The amount corresponds today to almost ten percent of the total wine production of Saxony. After 100 years, the barrel had to be dismantled due to structural decay. Today, a multimedia installation made of glass, steel, light, and sound, for which 12,227 green Bordeaux bottles were used, is located at its site. It is intended to illustrate the dimensions of the barrel.
The 300-year celebration under the motto "Baroque meets wine at Königstein" showcases the only known replica of the barrel at a scale of 1:10, as well as a giant balloon in the shape of the container. The Saxon State Winery Schloss Wackerbarth is releasing a limited special edition for the anniversary.
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More on the topic:
The largest wine barrels in the world