Only 12 km from the Old Town “Altstadt” of Düsseldorf, there is a beautiful pleasure palace (Maison de Plaisance), which has been proposed as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Benrath (Pleasure) Palace or Schloss Benrath is considered to be the most important architectural synthesis of the arts in Düsseldorf, the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia state. The palace looks just the same today as it would have in 1775 when it was built under the direction of Nicolas de Pigage on behalf of Elector Karl Theodor von der Pfalz. The palace, gardens, ponds, and canal look magnificent.
Beyond the stately Corps de Logis of the Benrtah Palace, the sprawling complex also boasts two more exquisite museums: the Museum of European Garden Art and the Museum of Natural History. These wondrous institutions offer visitors the chance to delve into the beauty of horticulture and the wonders of the natural world, making the Benrtah Palace a destination of cultural and intellectual enrichment.
The gardens and courtyards are free to visit, while the castle and museums are chargeable. We arrived an hour before closing and only visited the castle (Museum Corps De Logis) and the gardens.
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There is no precise information about the original castle of the “Herren van Benroide”, which was taken over by the Counts of Berg towards the end of the 12th century. In documents from the 13th century there was the temporary presence of the earls and later dukes in a castle. From the beginning of the 16th century, it was pledged by the dukes a number of times but was redeemed again and again.
This original moated castle from the 15th century, which is now dilapidated, was to be converted into a representative moated castle in the Renaissance style in 1660 on the instructions of Elisabeth Amalia Magdalena, the second wife of Duke Philipp Wilhelm. Completed in 1666, it was used for the Duke’s family’s summer and hunting stays. The eldest son and successor of Philipp Wilhelm, Elector Johann Wilhelm von Pfalz-Neuburg (called Jan Wellem), was closely associated with Benrath Palace and shared it with his second wife Anna Maria Luisa de Medici as a summer resort.
In 1755, Elector Karl Theodor, from the Palatinate–Sulzbach line, decided to build a new summer residence as a seat for his wife Electress Elisabeth Auguste in the Baroque style in Benrath. While he resided in Mannheim and Schwetzingen, he commissioned his court master architect Nicolas de Pigage, to design the new building. He first had the dilapidated moated castle demolished, only the chapel and a side wing, the so-called orangery, were preserved. Evidence of the old castle can still be found in frescoes, stucco work, and fireplaces in the rooms of the orangery and on an altar in the chapel.
The new baroque palace was built about 300 meters north of the old one and. After 14 years of construction, the new Palace shines in the color of the old rose.
However, Elector Carl Theodor and Electress Elisabeth Auguste hardly enjoyed the advantages of the comfortable palace. They only visited the pleasure palace once. On the other hand, many artists and writers traveled and stayed at Benrath Palace.
From 1806 to 1813, Benrath Palace was the official residence of the Grand Dukes of Berg and Kleve. The capital of this state, which was newly formed from the former territory of the Duchy of Berg and the eastern part of the Duchy of Kleve, as well as parts of the Electorate of Cologne-Bonn and the Principality of Münster in Westphalia, was Düsseldorf. The Grand Dukes of Berg and Kleve were Joachim Murat, husband of Caroline Bonaparte, which was Napoleon Bonaparte’s youngest sister.
After the wars of liberation and the negotiations at the Congress of Vienna, the palace passed into Prussian ownership in 1815. Frederick William III. made the building available to his nephew Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig von Prussia and his wife, Princess Luise, in 1821. After 1852, Karl Anton Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen used it as a summer residence. Ten years later, his son, Hereditary Prince Leopold von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, asked Wilhelm I, who was now reigning, to be allowed to move into the palace, which was granted to him at the end of 1862. The princely family lived in Benrath Palace until 1875.
In 1911 the municipality of Benrath acquired the castle from the Prussian crown. Through the incorporation of Benrath, the castle came into the possession of the city of Düsseldorf in 1929. Before that, in 1907, the municipality of Benrath had begun to use the side wings of the palace for the gradual construction of a higher boys’ school, which later also accepted girls.
Parts of the castle were damaged after the Second World War so school operations had to be suspended towards the end of 1945. It was restored over years of work. After the schools moved out, the Benrath Palace and Park Foundation took over the administration and use it on behalf of the city of Düsseldorf in 2000. The museums that have since been set up there, are the financial basis for the preservation of the entire listed ensemble. The large park, which can be used free of charge, is considered an attractive place to relax.
LEFT: Karl Philipp Theodor (1724 – 1799) was a German prince who ruled as Elector of Bavaria (1777-1799) and also as Elector Palatine (1742-1777). He was a member of the House of Wittelsbach, one of the most powerful and influential dynasties in Europe during the early modern period.
During his reign, the economy and infrastructure of Bavaria were improved. He promoted both art and science, which attracted many respected thinkers to his court.
The partition of Poland in 1772, in which Karl Theodor received a sizable portion of western Galicia, including the cities of Krakow and Lwow, was one of the most important events of his reign. The territory and influence of Bavaria were greatly increased by this acquisition.
RIGHT: Elisabeth Auguste von Pfalz-Sulzbach (1721-1794) was a German princess and the wife of Elector Karl Theodor of Bavaria. Her philanthropy and support of the arts, particularly music, were well-known. She made a significant contribution to the intellectual and cultural life of the Mannheim court, which served as a hub for the German Enlightenment. As a skilled musician and composer, Elisabeth Auguste frequently hosted musical salons and performances in her palace. She was a supporter of the arts and helped many eminent composers, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with their works.
Nicolas de Pigage (1723–1796) was a prominent French architect, Born in Lorraine. He was celebrated for his remarkable contributions to European architecture during the Rococo period. His creative genius graced iconic structures like Benrath Palace and the Schwetzingen Palace.
Without precise information, the original castle of the “Herren van Benroide”, was taken over by the Counts of Berg towards the end of the 12th century.
On the instructions of Elizabeth Amalia Magdalena, the second wife of Duke Philipp Wilhelm, the dilapidated castle was remodeled and completed in 1666, and was used for summer vacations and hunting by the duke's family.
Elector Karl Theodor decided to build a new summer residence as a seat for his wife Electress Elisabeth Auguste in the Baroque style in Benrath. He commissioned his court architect Nicolas de Pigage, to design the new building. The new shiny baroque palace was built in the color of the old rose.
Benrath Palace was the official residence of the Grand Dukes of Berg and Kleve, and Düsseldorf was the capital of the new state.
After the wars of liberation and the negotiations at the Congress of Vienna, the palace passed into Prussian ownership in 1815.
Frederick William III. made the building available to his nephew Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig von Prussia and his wife, Princess Luise.
Karl Anton Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen used it as a summer residence.
Hereditary Prince Leopold von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, son of Wilhelm I, asked him to move into the palace, which he was granted at the end of 1862. The princely family lived in Benrath Palace until 1875.
In 1911 the municipality of Benrath acquired the castle from the Prussian crown.
Through the incorporation of Benrath, the castle came into the possession of the city of Düsseldorf in 1929. All this time, part of the castle was used as a school.
The Benrath Palace and Park Foundation took over the administration and use it on behalf of the city of Düsseldorf in 2000. The museums that have since been set up there, are the financial basis for the preservation of the entire listed ensemble.
In the east wing of Benrather Castle, the Museum of European Garden Art debuted in 2002. The museum presents examples of European garden art from various eras, including those that deal with flower fashion, sculptures, and pruning techniques. The 2000m2 exhibition space features historical elements like fireplaces and wall paneling and displays garden art using a variety of media. The museum provides visitors with an insight into the cultural history of gardens from antiquity to the present and is located in the former guest, servant, and service wing.
Palace Park extends on the south side of the palace with a size of more than 61 hectares and consists of several garden areas that were created at different times. The oldest part of the park dates back to the 17th century. In the 470-meter-long mirror pond swans are swimming. There is an extensive hunting park that stretches as far as the Rhine leads. In 1992, this 44.26- hectare area was declared a nature reserve (Schlosspark Benrath nature reserve). A canal system runs across the entire park area, which supplies various bodies of water in the park.
Because of this, Benrath Palace Park is both highly creative and culturally and naturally significant for the history of garden art. Also is significant because it needs to be protected both as a monument and as a nature reserve. This combination, as well as its function as a metropolitan recreation area, is largely unique. A complete work of art is created in combination with a Pleasure palace, historical garden, and surroundings. With more than 80 birds and 300 beetle species, the park and gardens highlight natural and cultural history.
The primary goal of the foundation is to preserve the palace and park as a total work of art, to use them in a way that is appropriate for monuments, to make them accessible to the public, and to highlight them as a cultural attraction.
The castle is also used for representative purposes. For example, state receptions of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia for Mikhail Gorbachev and Queen Elizabeth II took place here, as did Erich Honecker’s visit to the Federal Republic of Germany in 1987.
Benrath Palace, with its diverse party rooms and inner courtyards, is the ideal venue for private and business events in Düsseldorf. Doesn’t matter if is a birthday, wedding, conference, or business party. Rooms offer the right setting for every event.
Civil wedding in the Corps de Logis: The magnificent domed hall offers a uniquely festive ambiance for the most beautiful day of life.
For sure we saw 10 couples taking pictures around the palace. A few of them had a wedding ceremony.
In the summer, concerts are held in the park in the evenings. This event gives rise to excursions and an evening picnic . In addition, tables with candlesticks and champagne bottles are often lined up. The promenade concerts in the castle (Corps de Logis) are also a musical tradition.
The cafe offers a delicious range of cakes and a first-class espresso. Breakfast is also served, but a telephone reservation is preferred. The castle cafe can also be hired for the events.
The Lower Rhine Bay and the Niederbergisches Land are the main subjects of the Natural History Museum, which has been operating out of the castle’s west wing since 1929. The 800m2 exhibition space addresses issues like the Rhine’s shifting course, the local flora and fauna, and the Neandertal region close to Düsseldorf. The museum also houses a grouping of Josef Pallenberg’s animal sculptures, a hive of bees, and the Benrather bird clock. The regional exhibition unit focuses on the terraced landscape created by the Rhine and ecological relationships, while the permanent exhibition highlights the diversity of the Central European habitat. The content of the Museums for European Garden Art and Corps de Logis is complemented by that of the Natural History Museum.
Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz or John William of the Palatinate (1658-1716), was a German prince who ruled as the Elector Palatine.
During his reign, Johann Wilhelm oversaw the reconstruction and expansion of the Palatinate after the devastation of the Nine Years’ War. He also supported the arts and sciences, and his court at Düsseldorf became known for its patronage of the arts.
Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici (1667 – 1743 ) was the last of the ruling Florentine line of the House of Medici and sister of the last Medici Grand Duke of Tuscany Gian Gastone de’ Medici. She was the wife of Johann Wilhelm (“Jan Wellem”) and thus Electress Palatinate from 1691 to 1716. She bequeathed the palaces and art treasures of the House of Medici to the city of Florence.
The Medici family gained its popularity nowadays with the popular TV series Medici. They were one of the wealthiest families in Europe and from their lineage came four popes, two regent queens of France, and numerous other notable figures.
Düsseldorf is the capital of the densely populated German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, also a city with a long history and tradition. The relaxed atmosphere of Dusseldorf, its sights, and attractions are a lure for every tourist. Altstadt with its breweries, Rhine embankment promenade, fancy Mediahafen, chic shopping street Königsallee, Museums, and fairs.
Burg Castle or Schloss Burg, located in Burg an der Wupper (Solingen), is the largest reconstructed castle in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and a popular tourist attraction. Its early history is closely connected to the rise of the Duchy of Berg. Burg used to be an independent township until it became part of Solingen in 1975.
It also contains the Museum of the Bergische Land. The castle church is popular for weddings. The castle also is home to the Memorial for Deportation and the Memorial of the German Eastern Provinces with church bells from Königsberg and Breslau. Burg Castle is about 40 km far away from Benrath Palace.
