In Germany we can find many monuments, buildings and man-made works that impress us with their grandeur and beauty. Some of them are the beautiful palaces, with a variety of inspirations making up the list of points worth visiting for travelers in Germany.
The term “palace” comes from the Palatine Hill in Rome, where those belonging to the upper classes of society built their sumptuous homes. As we already said in the post about castles, some people confuse the two terms, so we give you a tip to quickly identify one from the other: the most visible difference is that a palace is not fortified.
Now let's get to know some of the beautiful palaces that we can visit in Germany.
Schwerin Palace
Schwerin Castle fascinates all newcomers to the capital of the state of Mecklenburg-Pomerania. It is an architectural masterpiece, made up of 653 rooms and dozens of pointed towers. It sits on an island in the middle of Lake Schwerin, standing out over the water. The first records of a castle on this site date back to 942, but the main parts of the current castle were built between 1845 and 1857, at the request of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II, making a bold statement, asserting the power and nobility of his lineage. At that time, the German aristocracy was weakened, due to the impact of the war with France and the revolutions of 1848. It was not just a palace, but also a message affirming the power of the Dukes of Mecklenburg.
A highlight of the castle are its gardens, carefully looked after in every detail with rare plant species and sculptures open to visitors. The Grand Duke managed to create a unique legacy, a grand statement about his family's glorious past.
Heidelberg Castle-Palace
The ruins of the once great Heidelberg Castle are located atop a rocky hill above the university city of Heidelberg, attracting around 1 million visitors a year. The history of Heidelberg Castle is a cycle of construction and destruction. It is known that the first foundations were laid in the 11th century, divided into two separate complexes – an ‘upper' and a ‘lower' castle.
The “highest” castle buildings were struck by lightning in 1537 and destroyed by fire. In 1613, Frederick V, prince-elector of the Palatinate, married Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of the king of England, and decided to transform the castle into a palace, carrying out works and changing the configuration of the fortified castle. Afterwards, Heidelberg Castle was completely destroyed in the Thirty Years' War and then by the French at the end of the 19th century. XVII. As incredible as it may seem, lightning can strike twice in the same place. In 1764, the remains of the palace were again struck by lightning, causing a fire that swept through the remaining ruins. From this episode onwards, the castle-palace's fate as an eternal ruin was sealed.
An interesting fact is that the citizens of Heidelberg used the bricks from the ruins as a source of building materials for their own homes. The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps. On our guided tour of Heidelberg, we take travelers to discover the curiosities and mysteries of this special place. With our private guided tours, the traveler is taken behind the scenes of the palace, not open to the general public.
We offer guided tours with Brazilian guides in Heidelberg and throughout Germany!
Herrenchiemsee Palace
Located on Herreninsel (“Isle of Men”, one of the islands in Lake Chiemsee), we find Herrenchiemsee Palace, one of the greatest works of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. King Ludwig II's initial idea was to build a copy of the Palace of Versailles as a tribute to the “Sun King”, Louis XIV of France. The project began in 1878 and was intended to be a monument to the absolute monarchy, with no practical function. Architect Georg Dollmann studied the original model and even reconstructed rooms that had long ceased to exist in Versailles.
The main rooms are some of the finest examples of 19th-century interior design, and much more elaborately and splendidly furnished than those at Versailles. No other porcelain collection is as comprehensive and high-quality as those found there, and the magnificent textile pieces are equally unique.
One of the artistic ideals of the 19th century, the “perfection” of historical styles, was realized in its best form at Herrenchiemsee Palace.
Sigmaringen Palace
This beautiful palace belongs to a line of the Hohenzollern family, the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. The first constructions on the site of this building are dated to the late Early Middle Ages, during the early 11th century. After many renovations and changes, the current palace was rebuilt after a fire in 1893, and only the towers of the former medieval fortress remain .
Like Heidelberg Palace, Sigmaringen Palace was initially built as a fortress. In the 19th century, Prince Karl Anton transformed the palace into a meeting place for Europe's nobility. Parts of the castle were rebuilt and decorated to transform Sigmaringen Palace into a luxury destination of the time.
Sigmaringen Palace is still privately owned and offers guided tours through its incredible interior rooms.
Ludwigsburg Palace
Located 14 km north of Stuttgart, Ludwigsburg Palace was initially built in 1704 to serve as a hunting residence for Duke Eberhard Ludwig of Wuerttemberg. In 1718, the palace became the Duke's main residence, and the site was remodeled for more appropriate accommodation.
Surrounding the palace are beautiful gardens, which are home to the fun Pumpkin Festival, which takes place annually. In addition to visiting the ducal apartments, the Ludwigsburg Palace, known as the “Swabian Versailles”, also houses the Ceramics Museum, the Fashion Museum, with pieces from the 17th to the 20th century, and the Baroque Gallery, with various works.
Em our private guided tours in Portuguese, We can visit all these palaces, among others, in addition to offering themed guided tours in some, experiences and also the option of accommodation.
