Ludwigslust Palace
A palace whose interiors are decorated in papier-mâché instead of stucco, because the duke could not afford stone.
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Duke Friedrich moved his residence here in 1765 and had a whole town laid out around a new palace, finished in 1776, on a scale that earned it the name little Versailles. Money was short, so the decorative work was carried out in Ludwigsluster Carton, a papier-mâché of pressed paper made locally, moulded and painted to imitate carved wood, stucco and stone; a factory in the town produced it and it fills the state rooms, including large picture frames, vases and reliefs. The park of about a hundred and twenty hectares was laid out by Peter Joseph Lenné with canals, cascades and follies.
What you actually see
- The papier-mâché decoration - moulded paper imitating stucco and carving.
- The Golden Hall - the main state room with a two-storey order.
- The Lenné park - 120 hectares of canals, cascades and garden buildings.
- The planned town - a settlement laid out around the palace.
When to go
April to October; the palace closes Mondays and reduces winter hours. The park is free and open year-round. The cascade runs seasonally.
Honest expectations
Only part of the palace is open, with restoration continuing. It closes Mondays. The town around is small.
Nearby
Schwerin lies north; Hamburg is west.
What to pack for Ludwigslust Palace
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
