A walk in the Palace Park, a look at Baroque art or a visit to the Natureum offer different ways to experience Ludwigslust. The traditional crafts at Palais BĂĽlow and the brewing manufactory are also among the local discoveries. When planning your trip, consider whether you would like to spend more time in the park, at historic cultural sites or on a cycling tour through the cultural landscape.
Palace Park, water and Baroque town layout
Ludwigslust Palace Park covers around 120 hectares and invites you to enjoy leisurely walks past meadows, bodies of water, old and rare trees, and ornamental shrubs. The Baroque park was laid out between 1731 and 1735. A 28-kilometre canal supplies water to the fountains and cascades in front of the palace; the canal was built between 1756 and 1760. These two periods show that the water features were added after the park was laid out.
The cascades on the palace square were made of sandstone between 1780 and 1785, based on designs by Bohemian sculptor Rudolf Kaplunger. From there, a sightline runs past the palace to the town church. Ludwigslust Palace is the former residence and the centrepiece of the late Baroque town layout. This sightline links the three prominent landmarks in the townscape: the cascades, palace and town church can be viewed as parts of a unified urban composition.
Art and history at the palace and town church
The museum in Ludwigslust Palace features rooms displaying 18th-century art. The town church offers another artistic highlight: its approximately 350-square-metre altarpiece, “The Annunciation to the Shepherds,” is considered the largest altarpiece in Europe. The Palace Museum and the town church offer different points of focus: 18th-century art in the palace rooms on the one hand, and a single, exceptionally large altarpiece on the other. If you are interested in the late Baroque town layout, you can consider these art venues in relation to the sightline and the cascades.
Nature at the Ludwigslust Natureum
The Ludwigslust Natureum borders the “Ludwigslust Palace Park” FFH protected area. It is the only natural history museum in western Mecklenburg and is run by a volunteer association. A range of events for adults and children offers insights into local nature. The Natureum therefore provides a different focus from the palace, art and town history.
Please note that opening hours vary by season: from April to October, the Natureum aims to provide volunteer-run opening hours from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends and public holidays. It is recommended that you contact the museum in advance for a specific visit date. If the Natureum is important to your stay, it is best to confirm your visit date ahead of time.
Traditional crafts, brewing manufactory and cycling tour
At the papier-mâché workshop in Palais Bülow, you can learn more about this craft tradition and try making souvenirs yourself. Guided tours about aristocratic domestic life in Ludwigslust are also available at Palais Bülow by prior arrangement. The Ludwigslust brewing manufactory produces artisan beer specialities; tours of the manufactory and beer tastings are available by appointment. Planning ahead is required for all three activities.
Experienced cyclists may enjoy the Raseneisenstein village tour as a day trip. It combines cultural and nature experiences and leads, for example, from Ludwigslust or Redefin through the heart of the Griese Gegend cultural landscape, known for its bog iron stone. Unlike a walk in the Palace Park, this is a full-day excursion and is explicitly aimed at experienced cyclists. Ludwigslust offers a range of options: walks in the park, art and history, nature-themed activities, visits by appointment and a cycling tour for a specific audience.
Discover more destinations: Amt Wittenburg, Parchim, Goldenstädt, Amt Grabow, Amt Ostufer Schweriner See, Hagenow, Amt Neustadt-Glewe, Amt Boizenburg-Land.
For the higher-level travel overview: Ludwigslust-Parchim.
