Schwetzingen Castle

This impressive castle in Schwetzingen has roots dating back to 1350. At that time, however, there was only a small castle surrounded by moats, which in the 1600s was replaced by a large hunting lodge, and it was not until the early 1700s that the present castle took shape. The castle has been the summer residence of the Palatine electors over the centuries and many of the original details and interiors have been carefully preserved.

Today it is the city's number one tourist attraction, with beautiful, harmonious gardens and a variety of guided tours and major international music festivals and performances. The palace gardens are unique in that they express in a quite subtle way the different movements of history in architecture and garden design, with several different, and sometimes even contradictory, styles. Thus, for example, you will see Roman, English, French, Romantic and Baroque features on your way around. If you are on holiday in Schwetzingen or the surrounding area, you should definitely stop by the castle, which is located in the city's Altstadt!