Stengel, Friedrich Joachim Michael

Architect, master builder

born: 29.09.1694 in Zerbst (Anhalt)

died: 10.01.1787 in Saarbrücken

In 1708, Stengel began studying at the Berlin "Academie der bildenden Künste" as an engineer officer. In 1712, he entered the military service of the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha and spent several months in northern Italy during the War of the Spanish Succession.

In 1715, he was placed under the Saxe-Gotha Chief Construction Director and worked as a surveyor for the state survey. In 1719 he moved to the Duchy of Saxony-Eisenach, and in 1721 to the Prince-Abbey of Fulda, where he was appointed building inspector in 1727. Here he devoted himself to carrying out the plans of the architects Maximilian von Welsch and Andreas Gallasini for the town palace and orangery. Stengel continued to work as a surveyor and in 1728 was loaned to the Electorate of Mainz for surveying work in the Amöneburg district. In 1733, he took over the office of court architect to Princess Charlotte Amalie zu Nassau-Usingen.

His first major independent work as an architect was the conversion of the castle in Usingen. He was then commissioned with the further construction of Biebrich Palace. Stengel also developed the plans for the Fasanerie hunting lodge near Wiesbaden, which was completed in 1749, and designed the new Protestant churches in Grävenwiesbach (1737-38) and Heftrich (1737-39).

In the following years, Stengel worked in particular for Prince Wilhelm Heinrich zu Nassau-Saarbrücken, for whom he built a new palace until 1748. In 1751, he rebuilt the burnt-down widow's residence of Princess Johanna Elisabeth von Anhalt-Zerbst, mother of the future Russian Empress Catherine II, in Zerbst and Dornburg/Elbe. In 1751/52, Stengel oversaw the renovation of Friedenstein Palace in Gotha. In 1761, he was appointed Director General of Building and Acting Chamber Councillor of Nassau-Saarbrücken. After the death of Prince Wilhelm Heinrich in 1768, Stengel built Ludwigsberg Palace near Saarbrücken as a country residence for his successor, Prince Ludwig zu Nassau-Saarbrücken.