Ludwigsburg Palace

Ludwigsburg Palace stands in the town of Ludwigsburg, 10 kilometres north-west of Stuttgart. It is a vast palace complex of 18 buildings with 452 rooms spread over 32 hectares of gardens and grounds. The oldest part is the Alter Hauptbau, built as the Duke’s residence. The east and west wings housed guests and courtiers, while the southern Neuer Hauptbau later became the main residence. Construction began in 1704 under Eberhard Louis, Duke of Württemberg, who wanted a Versailles of Swabia. The palace is worth visiting for its layered architecture and royal history. Four Württemberg monarchs lived here, and two German constitutions were signed within its walls in 1819 and 1919. Architects including Philipp Joseph Jenisch, Johann Friedrich Nette and Donato Giuseppe Frisoni shaped its Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles. Nikolaus Friedrich von Thouret later remodelled interiors in Neoclassical taste. The palace survived the Second World War intact and now hosts over 350 000 visitors each year. Inside, visitors find two museums dedicated to fashion and porcelain. The Baroque theatre, completed in the Rococo style by Philippe de La Guêpière, still hosts performances. Outside, the Blooming Baroque gardens recreate the look of 1800 with clipped hedges and fountains. Nearby stands Schloss Favorite, a hunting lodge built in 1717 by Frisoni. The palace’s varied styles and royal past offer a clear view of Württemberg’s cultural ambition.