Ludwigslust

About

The elaborate Baroque palace, located in the heart of this small town, was originally built as a hunting lodge, but later became the primary residence of Duke Friedrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. In need of more space, the Duke commissioned Johann Joachim Busch to build a new, larger palace. The palace as it stands today, modelled after Busch’s noticeably French-inspired designs, was completed in 1776. Visitors may now enjoy a tour of the resulting structure and view rooms such as the Golden Hall-- a huge room containing golden Corinthian columns and crystal chandeliers below an ornately decorated ceiling. Interestingly, many of the wall and ceiling decorations found inside are made of papier mâché, known as “Ludwigslust board”. Visitors can also wander into the surrounding English-style gardens to stumble upon fountains, mausoleums, the Swiss House, and the Stone Bridge. Many claim that its surrounding properties are even more impressive than the palace itself!