Lushly blooming flowerbeds, a superb collection of tress, romantic castle ruins and idyllic streams: The expansive parks surrounding Ludwigsburg Palace have retained a residential character despite changes.
Planned based on a French model.
The garden would have become an impressive example of Italian garden design north of the Alps. Duke Eberhard Ludwig, the builder of Ludwigsburg Residential Palace, actually wanted to install a terraced garden with water features on the steep slope on the north side of the palace. But as the palace grew, his focus soon shifted to the south garden. Here, a symmetrical Baroque garden was established in the French style to complement to palace facade.
View of the Friedrich garden.
In 1798, Friedrich I, who would later become king, ordered the redesign of the long-neglected gardens. It had not been updated to modern tastes for a long time. The south garden was now simpler, with large spaces and a canal at its center, which is no longer present. He also commissioned two small gardens in the English style for himself and his wife, the English princess, Charlotte Mathilde. The Friedrich garden and the Mathilde garden, to the right and left of the new central building, were designed as private hideaways that could be accessed directly from either of their apartments.
The Emichsburg castle is a fake castle ruins.
The Emichsburg castle and its high tower are like a holdover from the Middle Ages. This artificial ruins has risen out of a steep cliff east of the palace since 1802. The interior of the fake castle tower was home to an elegant room for court society. Friedrich I had an English landscape garden built all around the Emichsburg castle, with romantic and exotic areas. This included a playground with swings and a carousel for the enjoyment of royal guests. Today, the reconstructed historic playground is a special draw for children.
After Ludwigsburg was no longer a residence, the palace park was converted into an orchard. In 1954, the creation of the Blooming Baroque, a permanent garden show and fairytale garden, revitalized the former royal gardens. The perfect combination of preserved historic original elements, careful reconstructions, and the inventory introduced in the post-war era, make the Ludwigsburg palace garden a favorite and worthwhile attraction.
Impressions: the north garden and its Baroque-style borders; the gardener's house in the east landscape garden; the reconstructed vineyard in the upper palace garden.
A tour of the palace offers many views of the various gardens. Visitors looking for more can purchase a combined ticket.
