One of the largest Baroque palaces in Germany
Ludwigsburg Residential Palace
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Splendid chambers in the oldest part of the palaceOld central building

The luxuriously furnished apartments and lavish dining room make the old central building an excellent example of courtly Baroque domesticity. The structure, on which construction began in 1704, was initially intended to serve Duke Eberhard Ludwig as a hunting lodge.

Culinary delights and royal living

The dining room is located at the center of the representative second floor. The duke and duchess' apartments adjoin the dining room to east and west. Both apartments have three rooms each: antechamber, audience chamber, bedroom. They are arranged according to a design developed in France in the 17th century and adopted in Baroque palaces. What's more, the duke's bedroom, which is the most important room for court ceremonials, was combined with a hall of mirrors, one of the most luxurious palace rooms.

Ceiling of the hall of mirrors at Ludwigsburg Residential Palace

The hall of mirrors with stucco work by Frisoni.

A refined hall of mirrors

The hall of mirrors, adorned with gilded stucco, was expanded in 1721 by removing the wall to the royal bedroom and combining both rooms. Upon entering, the numerous mirrors reveal their ingenious play. Illusion and reality merge. What Duke Eberhard Ludwig's guests didn't know: A hidden staircase was concealed behind a mirrored door, leading to a bedroom directly below that belonged to his mistress, Wilhelmine von Grävenitz.

Detail of the ceiling fresco in the "Mars room" of the old central building
Detail of the ceiling fresco in the "Juno room" of the old central building, circa 1709

Many original ceiling frescoes from the palace's first construction period have been preserved in the old central building.

Part of a bay window in Eberhard Ludwig's former audience chamber

Magnificent window reveals.

Expensive furniture in the palace

The original writing cabinet is a masterpiece of furniture art. It was built around 1715/20, presumably by Johann Jakob Meyer. The cabinet maker from Kirchheim unter Teck is hardly known outside of Württemberg, despite his amazing skills. His monumental, stately furniture constitutes some of the most valuable furnishings in the royal apartments in the old central building; however, it is unclear whether the writing cabinet was made for Duke Eberhard Ludwig or for other palace inhabitants.

In the dining room, visitors can appreciate an equestrian portrait of Duke Eberhard Ludwig von Württemberg. The painting was painted in 1710, when the duke had achieved the rank of imperial field marshal.

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