Pillnitz Palace

Pillnitz Palace (Schloss Pillnitz) is the former summer residence of Saxony's electors and kings, set right on the Elbe River on the eastern edge of Dresden. Its three palaces, with curving Chinese-style roofs, are surrounded by about 25 hectares (62 acres) of gardens, home to a centuries-old camellia and a historic palm house. Arriving by paddle steamer, as the royal court once did by gondola, makes it one of the most memorable half-day trips from central Dresden.

History in brief

Augustus the Strong acquired Pillnitz in the early 18th century and had his court architect, Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann, build the Water Palace on the riverbank from 1720, followed by the Hill Palace. Both reflect the period's fascination with China, a style known as chinoiserie. A grand staircase leads from the Water Palace down to the river, where the court's gondolas once landed.

In 1791, the palace hosted the meeting that produced the Declaration of Pillnitz, a warning by Austria and Prussia to revolutionary France. After a fire in 1818, the Neoclassical New Palace was built between the two older wings.

What to see

• The palace ensemble and the formal Pleasure Garden with its fountain.
• The Pillnitz camellia, which the palace administration describes as the oldest and largest of its kind north of the Alps. It blooms in deep red in March and spends the winter inside a movable glasshouse.
• The Palm House, a glasshouse more than 160 years old with plants from South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, open year-round.
• English and Chinese gardens with pavilions.
• The palace museum in the New Palace, covering court life.

Note that the Museum of Decorative Arts in the Hill and Water Palaces is closed throughout 2026.

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026, the season runs March 28 to November 1, 2026, daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (palace museum from 10 a.m.). Admission is €8 for adults, €7 reduced, and €1 for children aged 6 to 16, covering the entire site. The park is free before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m. until dusk. Winter hours are announced separately on the official website.

How to get there

Pillnitz is about 10 km (6 miles) southeast of Dresden's Old Town; Dresden itself is roughly 2 hours by train from Berlin. The most scenic route is an Elbe cruise on one of Saxony's historic paddle steamers, which stop right at the palace. By public transport, take bus 63, or ride tram 2 to the Kleinzschachwitz terminus and cross the river on the small ferry. Paid parking is available on Leonardo-da-Vinci-Straße and Lohmener Straße.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, especially from spring to fall, when the gardens are at their best. Allow two to three hours. Dogs are welcome in the park on a short leash, but not inside the buildings.

Nearby

On the way back to the city, stop at the Blue Wonder bridge in Loschwitz. In the Old Town, Brühl's Terrace and Dresden Castle, the court's winter seat, complete the royal story.