Anyway, today we decided to visit the Ludwigsburg Residential Palace. Steph had taken Mum and I when we visited here in 2006, but Michael had never seen it - and it really is worth the seeing.The first palace on the site was constructed from 1704 onwards. It was intended as a hunting lodge for Duke Eberhard Ludwig. In 1718, however, when Ludwigsburg became the Duke’s principal place of residence, he sought a more fitting reflection of his power and prestige. The impressive structure was completed in 1733. Today, it is one of the few Baroque buildings to have survived the tumultuous history of the last centuries almost unscathed. This truly palatial complex stands out not just for its impressive size, but also for its sumptuous interiors. It also features a unique blend of three quite different architectural styles: Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassicism.
BUT that is not all.
The Ludwigsburg Residential Palace sits in some of the most impressive gardens you will ever see.
The Ludwigsburg Residential Palace sits in some of the most impressive gardens you will ever see.
Even before you get to the entrance, the floral displays lining the outer fences and walls bring anticipation of what we might find inside.
Surrounding the palace on three sides is the massive, 32 hectares Blooming Baroque garden, or in German, "Blühendes Barock."
Our entrance tickets at €18 each is one of the more expensive entrance tickets we have had to buy over the last six weeks - BUT, I know it will be worth it!
Just the view of the Palace from the entrance gates is mind blowing. It is huge with stunning gardens, water features and statuary - all before you get in! The cottage garden beds lining the walk from the entrance gate into the grounds feature stunning dahlias - Dad's favourite flowers.
We wander from garden to garden eagerly drinking in the sites and reveling in beautiful symmetry, gorgeous fountains and stunning statues. The Rose Garden, like all the gardens is 'walled' within a hedge. You step into it and immediately are hit with the scent of thousands of roses - it was such a sensory delight. Will have to let the gardeners back home that take care of the Maryborough Rose Gardens know - too bad I could not capture the scent to share with them. I really think that the hedge held the scents in!
We wander in and out, making our way to the Garden Cafe where we dined under the canopy of trees with me having the last of the wurst for our trip. Tomorrow, we begin the preparations for our departure for home! We had the most amazing freshly squeezed orange juice that had all the taste of the fruit grown on the site - and this rivaled even the magnificent juice we get from the oranges from Gayndah back home. Funny thing was, that even though there we plenty of the wasps around - they didn't wan't that orange juice - just all the sugary carbonated drinks others were drinking around us. Just as well, because they were not getting any of mine! Coffee and cake followed before we resumed our explorations.
As we walked back through a grove of trees under-planted by beds of tuberous begonias, I could't believe the size of the blossoms. To show you the scale, I got Michael to put his Akubra hat in front of the bed - huge, aren't they!
And at the moment, the gardens are hosting two very special events - one is an impressive display of sand sculptures - including one by the Australian sand sculptor - Kevin Crawford - but the more interesting display is the annual (largest in the world) Pumpkin Festival in the Lower East Garden.
There was Asterix fighting a Roman and his side-kick Obelisk nearby, two gladiators fighting, the Roman 'turtle' that famous Roman army formation invented by Julius Caesar, a charioteer, an Aquaduct and King Neptune complete with a lightning bolt!
On the return to the stunning parterre garden, Michael picked up a couple of pumpkins - a Butternut and something akin to a Jap - to roast for the family dinner tomorrow night!
Once we had done with the gardens and the special displays, we headed in to the Palace itself and joined the last tour of the day. Well, for a while, WE were the last tour for the day and our elderly but informative guide began our tour in perfect English. Unfortunately for us, a German family came in and as the tour was advertised as a German speaking tour, he had to revert. But with the consent of the others, he doubled up, delivering his interesting commentary in both languages. Was a little absent minded - more than once, he told us something in English then relayed it in German, only to then repeat the same in English again!
Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take the camera inside, but to describe it in brief:
Just the view of the Palace from the entrance gates is mind blowing. It is huge with stunning gardens, water features and statuary - all before you get in! The cottage garden beds lining the walk from the entrance gate into the grounds feature stunning dahlias - Dad's favourite flowers.
We wander from garden to garden eagerly drinking in the sites and reveling in beautiful symmetry, gorgeous fountains and stunning statues. The Rose Garden, like all the gardens is 'walled' within a hedge. You step into it and immediately are hit with the scent of thousands of roses - it was such a sensory delight. Will have to let the gardeners back home that take care of the Maryborough Rose Gardens know - too bad I could not capture the scent to share with them. I really think that the hedge held the scents in!
We wander in and out, making our way to the Garden Cafe where we dined under the canopy of trees with me having the last of the wurst for our trip. Tomorrow, we begin the preparations for our departure for home! We had the most amazing freshly squeezed orange juice that had all the taste of the fruit grown on the site - and this rivaled even the magnificent juice we get from the oranges from Gayndah back home. Funny thing was, that even though there we plenty of the wasps around - they didn't wan't that orange juice - just all the sugary carbonated drinks others were drinking around us. Just as well, because they were not getting any of mine! Coffee and cake followed before we resumed our explorations.
As we walked back through a grove of trees under-planted by beds of tuberous begonias, I could't believe the size of the blossoms. To show you the scale, I got Michael to put his Akubra hat in front of the bed - huge, aren't they! 
And at the moment, the gardens are hosting two very special events - one is an impressive display of sand sculptures - including one by the Australian sand sculptor - Kevin Crawford - but the more interesting display is the annual (largest in the world) Pumpkin Festival in the Lower East Garden.
And I mean large.
There are literally thousands of pumpkins lining the walkways to the exhibit - yes, literally, thousands - I can count more that 700 just in one view!
This year, the theme is Rome and the exhibits all relate to that theme. Take a look at some of the amazing displays.
There was Asterix fighting a Roman and his side-kick Obelisk nearby, two gladiators fighting, the Roman 'turtle' that famous Roman army formation invented by Julius Caesar, a charioteer, an Aquaduct and King Neptune complete with a lightning bolt!
On the return to the stunning parterre garden, Michael picked up a couple of pumpkins - a Butternut and something akin to a Jap - to roast for the family dinner tomorrow night!
Once we had done with the gardens and the special displays, we headed in to the Palace itself and joined the last tour of the day. Well, for a while, WE were the last tour for the day and our elderly but informative guide began our tour in perfect English. Unfortunately for us, a German family came in and as the tour was advertised as a German speaking tour, he had to revert. But with the consent of the others, he doubled up, delivering his interesting commentary in both languages. Was a little absent minded - more than once, he told us something in English then relayed it in German, only to then repeat the same in English again!
Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take the camera inside, but to describe it in brief:- 432 rooms
- largest chandelier weighs 48 ton (a full tour of people standing below it and all clapping at the same time can make this chandelier 'sing')
- there are series of three staircases - the king's/queen's, the knight's and the servants
- the knights hall now houses a chapel where for €180 you can be married or have your child baptised. This was where the King knighted the members he appointed to his Order of the Golden Eagle
- Eberhard Ludwig, Duke of Württemberg, who commissioned the construction was a big man - 210 cm and 200 kgs! You should see the size of his throne! The future kings of Württemberg in turn ignored and restored and further developed the Palace
- the mirror room once had mirrors on the floors as well as the walls and ceilings, but when tours of the Palace commenced in 1906, the ladies complained and so the mirrors on the floor were removed (think about it). Mirrors were a sign of wealth and to have one mirror was special. The Palace has 147 in this room alone.
We finally left the Palace after 6 pm and as I was worried that some of the internal gates might have been closed (parts of it shut at 5 pm), we had to return to the car the long way around the exterior of the Palace compound via the streets of Ludwigsburg. My feet are absolutely killing me now. We have walked about 10kms!
We program Google Maps to direct us back to Schwäbisch Gmünd, only to have it advise us that due to heavy traffic there are long delays. Do we want to take an alternate route to save 25 minutes? Bloody oath we do!
We stop off at Edeka (a supermarket) so I can buy some drinks to bring home as they are cheaper than duty free. Finally reach the house a few minutes before 8 pm. Knackered, but happy!
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