In addition to the Music Fest, a special 2-hour themed tour with guides in period costume will help you to experience the pleasure that Mozart’s stay at that time gave to the ladies and gentlemen of the court. Two original venues in the Palace Gardens will be the focus of the tour; the historical Rococo Theater (built 1752) and the southern circular pavilion.The Schloss Schwetzingen is the biggest still intact baroque palace in Germany. It dates back to the 14th century when it was built as a moated castle, and later was used as a hunting lodge. Much of what we see today was commissioned by Prince Elector Carl Theodor in the 18th century, when he converted it into his summer palace. After that, it was used by the Palatinate Prince Electors as their summer residence. At the time, palace and gardens provided a stylish backdrop for splendid court festivals and are still enchanting visitors today. The gardens were developed to accentuate the architecture and splendor of the palace, and size was used to impress. They succeeded here, as these gardens are huge, and very impressive.
The schloss is worth a visit but the real gem is the gardens. As you wander around the gardens you’d be forgiven for (mistakenly) thinking you’d stumbled into the famed gardens at Versailles. The grandeur and sweeping vistas are the same, the gravel walks, the ponds and fountains. But, (dare I say this?) the gardens of the Schloss Schwetzingen are more intricate and interesting.These sumptuous gardens, inspired by French and English gardens, were started in the late 1600s but most were designed and laid out from 1752. Bright white statues grace the ponds, the central parterre leads to eye-catching flowerbeds, while peacocks, herons, ducks, and geese add to the delight. Further back, meandering paths and tree-lined meadows allow for peaceful wandering. The gardens are dotted with temples and statues, most for mythical gods. There are temples to Apollo, Mercury and Athena. The one to Apollo doubles as the backdrop for a stage, where concerts and plays are held in the summer. There are also bathhouses; “artificial ruins” in the form of an old temple on one side and an aqueduct wall on the other; a bird sanctuary; and even a Turkish mosque.
It’s lovely to just wander and enjoy the gardens, and then stop for a drink in the café in the former Orangerie, overlooking the formal part of the gardens.Just outside the gates is the main town market place, lined with restaurants, coffee shops and stores. The largest eatery in town, right outside the castle gate, is the Schloss Brauhaus, a top quality brewery with seating for hundreds.In the spring, Schwetzingen is also famous for its asparagus (spargel) festival--look for the Spargel Statue in the main square opposite the palace entrance.
More Information:
1. Special Palace Gardens Tour, 26 March – 15 October 2006. Prices: Adults €10, children €5
Tel: +49 (0)6202/945875
www.schloesser-magazin.de
www.schwetzingen.de lists many events (following the links in German only)
2. For information on the year-long Mozart celebration “In Mozart’s Footsteps” go to www.mozartways.com
3. General garden and palace information
Palace gardens open all day
Guided tours of Palace:April-October, Tues-Fri 11-4, Sat-Sun 11-5November-March, Sat, Sun and holidays 11am, 2pm, 3pmEntrance fees: Palace and gardens €6.50, reduced €3.20, families €16.20Gardens only €4, reduced €2, families €10
4. Schwetzingen City Tourism at +49 (0)6202/87133
www.tourismus-baden-wuerttemberg.de
www.germany-tourism.de/ENG
JustSayGO Travel Show
This year, the anniversary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s 250th birthday, is being celebrated in many places around the world. One place is at Schwetzingen Schloss (Palace), in the town of Schwetzingen, in the state of Baden-Wurtemberg, 15 minutes west of Heidelberg, Germany. The Palace and Gardens will host the annual Mozart Music Fest in the fall, and will offer special tours from March to October, 2006 (see details below).
Mozart visited here again on October 29, 1777 and October 24, 1790, and for the past 30 years the Palace has hosted an annual Mozart Music Fest in the Rococo Theater. This year it will take place September 9-October 10. Local cafes and bakeries will present the longest magic flute in the world in the form of a 165-foot-long cake.