Ludwigsburg Palace

Ludwigsburg Palace (Residenzschloss Ludwigsburg), just north of Stuttgart, is one of the largest Baroque palaces in Germany and is often called the "Versailles of Swabia." With about 452 rooms, two churches, an 18th-century theater and a vast courtyard, it shows how the dukes and kings of Württemberg lived. Add fashion and ceramics museums and the "Blooming Baroque" gardens next door, and it makes one of the best day trips from Stuttgart.

Where it is and how to get there

Ludwigsburg is a small city about 15 minutes from Stuttgart by S-Bahn commuter train (lines S4 and S5), which makes the palace an easy half-day or day trip from Stuttgart. From Ludwigsburg station it is roughly a 15-minute walk through the town center; buses 421, 427, 430 and 444 also stop at "Residenzschloss." Local trains and buses are covered by the Deutschlandticket.

If you drive, about 670 paid parking spaces are within walking distance, for example in the Marstall parking garage. The address is Schlossstraße 30, 71634 Ludwigsburg.

A short history

Duke Eberhard Ludwig laid the foundation stone in 1704 on the site of an old hunting estate, and the court moved in by 1709. Architects Johann Friedrich Nette and Donato Giuseppe Frisoni expanded the hunting lodge into a huge four-wing palace. Later, under King Friedrich, Nikolaus Friedrich Thouret added Neoclassical rooms such as the Marble Hall. The royal family used the palace until 1918; afterward it became a museum. Ludwigsburg's town was itself laid out as a planned city around the residence.

What to see

The palace interiors can be seen only on a guided tour of about one hour. Two classic routes show different parts:

• "Duchess" tour: the duchess's apartment, the palace church, the palace theater from 1758 and the ancestral gallery.
• "Duke" tour: the founder's apartment with its mirror cabinet, the hunting pavilion, the Order Hall and the picture gallery.

English-language tours run daily; between August and March they start at 11:15 am, 1:15 pm and 3:15 pm. Ask at the ticket desk which route the English tour follows that day.

Without a tour, you can visit the Fashion Museum and Ceramics Museum with an audioguide during the season. Note that the Baroque Gallery is currently closed and the royal apartments are being restored.

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026, a palace tour costs €10 for adults, €5 reduced (including children from age 6 and students) and €25 for families. A single museum with audioguide costs €4. From late March to October 31, tours start every half hour between 10 am and 5 pm. In winter there are fewer tours, mostly late morning and afternoon on weekdays and hourly on weekends. Prices are in euros, and the StuttCard is accepted.

During the Blooming Baroque season (mid-March to early November), use the Schlossstraße entrance: other gates lead through the gardens and require a separate garden ticket.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, especially if you are already in Stuttgart. Plan two to three hours for a tour and one museum, longer if you add the Blooming Baroque gardens with their fairy-tale garden for kids, or walk north through the park to the smaller Favorite Palace. Because each tour covers a different wing, history fans can come back the next day and take the second route at half price.