Ludwigsburg Palace: My Favorite Castle Tour in Germanymonkeysandmountains.com /schloss- ludwigsburg

Ludwigsburg Palace (Schloss Ludwigsburg in German) is my favorite castle tour in Germany!

The 90 minute tour gives you insights into what life in a palace was really like, and how royalty behaved behind closeddoors. Even my German husband enjoyed the tour and he’s not a fan of them in general.

The

The pa lace cour tyard .

The

palace was built in 1707 and was the residential palace of the Dukes and Kings of Württemberg. It is one of Europe’smost impressive Baroque buildings. It’s renowned for its artistic achievements, many of which are displayed on theceilings of the palace. This makes me believe that frescos are the most dangerous cultural attraction in Europe:

One of the m os t ornate ha l lways I’ve even s een.

There’s no doubt that Schloss Ludwigsburg is impressive, but lots of castles are impressive: Heidelberg Castle,Hohenzollern Castle, the diminutive (by castle standards) Licthenstein Castle, Burghausen, the longest castle in Europe,and the Munich Residenz , to name a few. It’s the glimpse into the secret lives of the royals and servants who lived herethat I found fascinating. Can you imagine being surrounded by opulence, yet having to dine in a windowlessunheated room as the servants did?

The

The windowles s s ervant’s quar ters .

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bedroom below may look like a rather lavish, but typical royal bedroom until our guide takes us through the secret panelhiding the secret stairway to Duke Eberhard Ludwig’s mistress’ bedroom and the servant’s stairway.

I’m

Can you s pot the s ecre t pane l h id ing the s ecre t s ta i rway for the Duke ’s m is tres s ?

I’mnot

sure why Duke Eberhard Ludwig felt the need for secrecy though. His wife lived in the much more modest Old Palace inStuttgart, over 20km away from Ludwigsburg. Not far from Stuttgart’s only castle ruins. Wilhelmine von Grävenitz mayhave only been a mistress, but she was very powerful. Duke Eberhard Ludwig was so love sick that he essentially lether rule over the state of Württemberg for 20 years. As a result, he was the subject of gossip and ridicule for years.

Then we have poor Elisabeth Friederike von Brandenburg-Bayreuth. She was unfortunately married to Duke CarlEugen. It wasn’t likely that she used the secret staircase to her husband’s bedroom, since he was so busy carrying onthe same amorous life he lead before his marriage. All while under the same roof as his wife! One can only imaginehow often the secret staircase to his bedroom was used – and not by his wife!

Des pi te l i ving in opu lence a t Sch los s Ludwigs burg, l i fe was m is erab le for El is abeth Fr iedenke von Brandenburg-Bayreuth due to herhus band’s wander ing eye.

After a few years of her husband’s extra-marital affairs, humiliation and political failings, Elisabeth Friederike vonBrandenburg-Bayreuth had enough and left Ludwigsburg for good, leaving Duke Carl Eugen without an heir.

The

The Ludwigs burg Pa lace gardens were o ften us ed as a banquet ha l l , thanks to Duke Car l Eugen.

Theone

thing that Duke Carl Eugen had going for him was that he knew how to throw a good party. He was in fact famous for hiscourt festivities, operas and theater performances at Schloss Ludwigsburg. Performances are still held there today. Thepalace is also home to the world’s largest pumpkin festival each year.

Ludwigsburg Palace’s walls may not talk, but by the end of the 90 minute tour, I could have swornthey were whispering secrets in my ear, warning me living in a castle is not always a f airytale.

See the Schloss Ludwigsburg homepage for more info.

About Laurel

Laurel Robbins is a free-spirited adventurer, award-winning travel blogger at Monkeys and MountainsAdventure Travel Blog. Many hats, one travel obsessed Canadian in Germany.