Schleißheim Palace

Schleißheim Palace in Oberschleißheim, just north of Munich, is a complex of three Baroque palaces set in a vast French-style garden. The New Palace, with a facade more than 300 meters long, is the centerpiece, flanked by the Old Palace and the hunting lodge Lustheim. It is one of the best day trips from Munich for anyone interested in Bavarian royal history, Baroque art and garden design.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, especially if you have already seen Nymphenburg and want a quieter, more spacious alternative. Elector Max Emanuel began the New Palace in 1701 as a Bavarian answer to Versailles, but the War of the Spanish Succession interrupted the work, and the planned four-wing residence was never finished. Its 57-meter Great Gallery and the monumental staircase, designed by Enrico Zuccalli and completed by Leo von Klenze in 1847 and 1848, are the highlights. The New Palace today houses a branch of the Bavarian State Painting Collections with Italian and Flemish Baroque paintings.

At the far end of the garden axis, about a kilometer away, stands Lustheim, built from 1684 as a pleasure and hunting lodge for Max Emanuel's wedding; it now holds a Meissen porcelain collection. The Old Palace dates from 1617 to 1623 and was ruined in World War II; restoration began in 1970. The garden was laid out by Dominique Girard, a pupil of the French master André Le Nôtre. Fountains run from April to mid-September.

Tickets and opening hours (as of October 2026)

• Hours: October to March 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., April to September 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; closed Mondays except on certain public holidays.
• Combined ticket for all three palaces: 11 EUR (9 EUR reduced).
• Single tickets: Old Palace 4 EUR, New Palace 7 EUR, Lustheim 5 EUR.
• Visitors under 18 enter free.

An audio guide for the New Palace is available for a fee in English, German, Italian and French. Visits are self-guided. Allow three to four hours for the palaces and more if you want to walk the garden. The palace restaurant is reported closed for renovation, so bring a snack.

How to get there

The palace is at Max-Emanuel-Platz 1, 85764 Oberschleißheim. Take the S1 suburban train toward Freising to Oberschleißheim station and walk about 15 minutes. Alternatively, take the U2 to Am Hart and bus 295, or the U6 to Fröttmaning and bus 292. Public transport in the Munich area is covered by the Deutschlandticket. By car, there are about 120 paid parking spaces at the New Palace.

Accessibility and nearby

The main areas of the New and Old Palace are reachable without steps or by elevator, and accessible restrooms are available. In the north of Munich you can combine the visit with the Olympic Park or the Allianz Arena, both on the subway network.