The most beautiful palaces in Germany

Castles in Germany can be divided into four historical periods:

1. Medieval castles (12th to 16th century)

2. Renaissance castles and palaces (16th and 17th century)

3. Baroque princely or ducal palaces (17th and 18th century)

4. Neoclassical princely or ducal palaces (18th and 19th century)

5. Romantic castles (19th century)

Whereas Britain has Europe's mightiest medieval castles and grandest neoclassical stately homes and France the loveliest Renaissance châteaux, Germany has undoubtedly the most sumptuous baroque Schlösser (palaces). The golden age of the German baroque palaces was between the 1690's and the 1750's.

German Baroque Palaces

Charlottenburg Palace German name: Schloss Charlottenburg Former residence of the Electors of Brandenburg and Kings of Prussia. Built between 1696 and 1747. State : Berlin Description New Palace in Potsdam German name: Neues Palais (Potsdam) Former residence of the Kings of Prussia. Built between 1763 and 1769. State : Brandenburg Description Biebrich Palace in Wiesbaden German name: Schloss Biebrich Former residence of the Counts of Nassau-Idstein, then of the Dukes of Nassau. Built in 1702. State : Hesse Description Sondershausen Palace German name: Schloss Sondershausen Former residence of the Princes of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. Built between the 1680s and 1851. State : Thuringia Description Moritzburg Palace German name: Schloss Moritzburg Former residence of the Electors, then Kings of Saxony. Built between 1723 and 1733. State : Saxony

Nordkirchen Palace German name: Schloss Nordkirchen Former residence of the Prince-Bishops of Münster. Built between 1703 and 1734. State : North Rhine-Westphalia Description Augustusburg Palace in Brühl German name: Schloss Augustusburg Former residence of the Archbishop-Electors of Cologne. Built between 1725 and 1740. State : North Rhine-Westphalia Description Ludwigsburg Palace German name: Schloss Ludwigsburg Former residence of the Dukes, then Kings of Württemberg. Built between 1704 and 1733. State : Baden-Württemberg New Palace in Stuttgart German name: Neues Schloss (Stuttgart) Former residence of the Kings of Württemberg. Built between 1746 and 1807. State : Baden-Württemberg Würzburg Residence German name: Würzburg Residenz Former residence of the Prince-Bishops of Würzburg. Built between 1720 and 1744. State : Bavaria Bückeburg Palace German name: Schloss Bückeburg Former residence of the Princes of Schaumburg-Lippe. Built between 1601 and 1622; restored in 1732. State : Lower Saxony Description Karlsruhe Palace German name: Karlsruher Schloss Former residence of the Margraves of Baden-Durlach, then of the Grand Dukes of Baden. Built in 1715, partially rebuilt in 1746. State : Baden-Württemberg New Schleissheim Palace German name: Neues Schloss Schleißheim Former residence of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Built between 1701 and 1704, enlarged between 1719 and 1726. State : Bavaria Ludwigslust Palace German name: Schloss Ludwigslust Former residence of the Dukes of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Built between 1772 and 1776. State : Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Description Erlangen Palace German name: Schloss Erlangen Former residence of the Margraves of Brandenburg-Bayreuth. Built between 1700 and 1706. State : Bavaria Heidecksburg Palace German name: Schloss Heidecksburg Former residence of the Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Built between 1737 and 1786. State : Thuringia Description Pillnitz Palace German name: Schloss Pillnitz Former summer residence of many electors and kings of Saxony. Built between 1720 and 1725. State : Saxony Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam German name: Schloss Sanssouci Former summer residence of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. Built between 1745 and 1747. State : Brandenburg Description German Neoclassical Palaces Brunswick Palace German name: Schloss Braunschweig Former residence of the Dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Built between 1718 and 1790. State : Lower Saxony Albrechtsberg Palace German name: Schloss Albrechtsberg Former residence of Prince Albert of Prussia (1809-1872). Built between 1850 and 1854. State : Saxony Herrenchiemsee Palace German name: Schloss Herrenchiemsee Former residence of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Built between 1878 and 1885. State : Bavaria Description Check out the most beautiful : French Medieval Castles French Fortified Towns French Châteaux German Castles German Palaces