2-425: Hofgarten is German for "court garden" and refers to the gardens of a seat or Residenz of a noble family , usually a reigning prince or sovereign. Important court gardens with this name are found in: Residenz Residenz ( German: [ʁeziˈdɛnts] ) is a German word for "domicile", now obsolete except in the formal sense of an official residence . A related term, Residenzstadt , denotes
4-530: A city where a sovereign ruler resided, and thus carries a similar meaning to the contemporary expressions seat of government or capital . As there were many sovereign ( imperially immediate ) rulers in the Holy Roman Empire , ranking from lord ( Herr ) to prince elector and king, there are many cities, palaces, and castles in the empire's former territory which used to be a Residenz , some of which are still so referred to today. The former status of
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