Nice park with baroque palaces. Quiet, cozy, calm. Here you can just take a walk or visit museums (Castle and folk crafts). The pride of the garden is the huge Japanese camellia, the oldest in Europe. She is 230 years old!
Schloss Pillnitz Castle, photo by Hartmut
Schloss Pillnitz Castle is located on the picturesque banks of the Elbe. A magnificent staircase decorated with sphinxes descends to the water, pointing to the place where in ancient times beautiful gondolas moored to the pier.
Country residence of Saxon monarchs
In the XVII century, Elector Johann George IV acquired the Pilnitz estate for his favorite. In 1707, his successor Augustus the Strong presented this small summer residence to his beloved, Countess Anna Kozel. But after 10 years, she went to Stolpen Castle, as she had lost the king’s cordial disposition. And Augustus the Strong instructed architects Pöppelman and Longlyun to build a Chinese-style palace. Perestroika lasted from 1720 to 1730.
Country residence of Saxon monarchs on the banks of the Elbe, photo by Henry Mühlpfordt
The castle consisted of two buildings in the Chinese Baroque style: the Mountain Palace and the Water Palace. Around them was an amazing Lustgarten park with magnificent pavilions and greenhouses in the English and Chinese style.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Mountain and Water Palaces, which stood apart, were connected by the New Palace.
Japanese camellia and its greenhouse, photo by Kolossos
Museums
The palace ensemble is occupied by two museums: the Castle Museum (Schlossmuseum), located in the New Palace, and the Museum of Applied Arts (Kunstgewerbemuseum), in the Mountain and Water Palaces. The Museum of Applied Arts exhibited magnificent samples of porcelain, glass, stone. Also in the museum you can see old textiles and musical instruments, furniture.
Triton Gondola, photo by Aklaton
How to get there
In Dresden, take bus 63, 88 or tram 2 and go to the Leonardo-da-Vinci-Strabe or Pillnitzer Platz stop. And also from Dresden to Pilnitsa walks a boat.
