Enlarge picture

Event tours at Wilhelmsthal Palace
© J. Schüßler, RKL

Wilhelmsthal Palace near Calden is considered to be one of the most beautiful rococo palaces in Germany.

Wilhelmsthal Palace was built as a hunting lodge and summer residence between 1747 and 1761 on the order of landgrave Wilhelm VIII of Hessen-Kassel. The famous court master builder François Cuvilliés was responsible for the master planning, and no one less than the sculptor Johann August Nahl, who also worked at Sanssouci Palace at Potsdam, devised the interior design.

The preserved building layout and the original furniture allow an impressive insight in the life at court. But also a “look behind the scenes” is possible – for instance in the main kitchen, in which many original appliances have survived. Apart from that, Wilhelmsthal Palace also houses the most extensive collection of Tischbein-paintings in the world.

The castle is embedded in a park, which had originally been designed as a rococo garden – which is still visible in form of the symmetrical layout of the southern axis, but was redesigned into an English landscape garden around 1800. The grotto in the garden is also the location of trick fountains during summer.

All year round, there are event tours for kids and adult visitors, which allow special insights in the life at court and the history of Wilhelmsthal Palace. For adults, the chief master of ceremonies, for instance, presents facts and funny things about the etiquette at court during a garden party, or landgrave Wilhelm VIII himself guides you through his property. Kids might get to know Wilhelmsthal from a magical or a scary point of view or may explore the castle garden as a detective and discover the landgrave’s treasure. Further information on www.wiedemann-calden.de (in German).

information

Schloss und Schlosspark Wilhelmstal:
34379 Calden
tel: +49 (0)567465-78
fax: 0123-456
www.museum-kassel.de