Schwerin Palace

History

Schwerin Palace has a chequered history stretching back to the 10th century. A Slavic fortification once stood on the site of today’s palace complex; it was taken by Henry the Lion in 1160 and developed into the nucleus of the city of Schwerin. During the Middle Ages, a fortified residence of the Dukes of Mecklenburg grew up on this strategically advantageous island site, and was repeatedly rebuilt and extended over the centuries.

The decisive transformation took place between 1845 and 1857 under Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II. Taking the French Château de Chambord as his model, he commissioned Georg Adolph Demmler and Friedrich August Stüler to convert the existing building into a representative palace in the style of Romantic Historicism. The architects drew on the formal language of the French Renaissance and German Late Gothic — an interplay that gives the building its unmistakable, almost otherworldly character.

After the end of the monarchy in 1918 the palace lost its function as a ducal residence. During the GDR era it served for a time as a pedagogical institute. Since 1990 Schwerin Palace has housed the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state parliament, which has lent the historic building a new democratic dignity.

Architecture & Setting

Schwerin Palace is regarded as an outstanding example of Romantic Historicism in German palace architecture. The building rises on a natural island in Lake Schwerin and is connected to the mainland by a causeway — a setting that gives the palace its fairy-tale silhouette of more than 15 towers and turrets. The exterior is characterised by an interplay of brick, sandstone and gilded copper domes that are reflected in the waters of the lake.

Inside, the palace surprises with around 653 rooms, of which the magnificent state apartments and the splendid Throne Room stand out as absolute highlights. The latter gleams in gold and crimson and still conveys today the brilliance of the Mecklenburg Grand Ducal court. Equally worthy of attention are the ancestral gallery, the Blue Drawing Room and the ducal private apartments, which retain their original 19th-century furnishings.

The palace gardens frame the ensemble: a formal French Baroque garden with precisely clipped hedge rooms and fountains lies directly beside the palace, whilst the expansive English landscape garden forms the transition to the natural lakeland scenery. From the palace forecourt, breathtaking panoramas open out across Lake Schwerin.

Visiting & Tips

A visit to Schwerin Palace combines history, art and natural experience in a unique way. The State Museum Schwerin presents extensive collections in the historic rooms covering the history of the Mecklenburg dukes, as well as outstanding paintings and applied arts from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Those with a particular interest in courtly domestic culture should book the guided tours through the state apartments.

The Schwerin Palace Festival transforms the palace courtyard and gardens every summer into a magnificent open-air stage for opera and classical music — a series of events with international renown, for which tickets should be reserved well in advance. The palace is also available for civil wedding ceremonies and is consequently one of the most sought-after wedding venues in northern Germany.

For families, the combination of a palace tour, a boat trip on Lake Schwerin and a stroll through the palace park makes for an enjoyable day out. The nearby State Museum in the old town provides an ideal complement to the visit. Those wishing to stay overnight will find a good selection of hotels and guesthouses in Schwerin close to the lake — the location amid the Schwerin lakes makes the state capital a rewarding destination for a stay of several days.