Pretty as a picture
The garden kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz in eastern Germany is an exceptional early example of English garden landscaping in Germany. Its 18th century royal creator has been heralded as a garden pioneer.
The Prince and his garden
Over a period of 40 years during the 18th century, Prince Leopold Franz of Anhalt-Dessau created a park landscape never before seen in Germany: the Garden Kingdom Dessau-Wörlitz. Covering an area of 142 square kilometers along the Elbe River, it deftly linked elements of nature, architecture and the fine arts. The result is a work of art that still enchants visitors today.
Nature and freedom
It was on educational trips that Prince Franz first saw English gardens, with their emphasis on open space and nature. His garden would also follow these principles. His support for the French Enlightenment also influenced its design, with the park allowing for free and easy individual movement. This was a park without fences, open to everyone.
A green principle for tolerance
Just how seriously Prince Franz took the values of the French Enlightenment is evident in many places in the park, but particularly here: the line of sight unites the church on the right with the Jewish synagogue on the left as a sign of religious tolerance. Since 2002, the garden is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, partly because of this visible use of humanistic principles in its design.
Seen from the water
Prince Franz created his park in a landscape that had been shaped by the Elbe River. He used dead creeks, lakes and connecting channels as design elements. Gondola rides are still a popular way to get around the park, with a 45 minute round trip giving visitors a unique perspective of the park's scenery.
Bridges as works of art
19 bridges span the waterways in the Wörlitz garden realm. Each is unique, and give an insight into the history and technology of bridge architecture. These include a cast-iron bridge, an east Asian style chain bridge and this "white bridge". It is the replica of a bridge in the Kew Gardens in London.
Heart of the garden
The Wörlitz Palace was the first building in the park, designed by architect and friend of the prince, Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff. The castle's simple English country house style was in stark contrast to Europe's then baroque-dominated design scene. Today, the Wörlitz Palace is considered as signaling the start of German classicism.
Bella Italia in Wörlitz
Testament to the prince's enthusiasm for Italy is the island of stone, with its miniature Vesuvius and Villa Hamilton. Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli near Rome inspired its grottos and archways. Villa Hamilton, however, was dedicated to British ambassador and Vesuvius explorer Sir Hamilton, and modeled on his summer home in the Gulf of Naples.
Learning by seeing
The Villa Hamilton displays the prince's mementos from his Italian travels: murals from Pompeii, paintings, antique vases and busts. Here again the guiding principle of the garden's founder is clear, to educate by visual aids. He wanted to share his experiences and interest in Italy and its ancient artworks with the world.
Fiery ending
Visitors to the park can even experience an eruption at Mount Vesuvius, which follows guidelines originally set-up in the 18th century. The event usually starts on a summer evening with a gondola ride and culminates at nightfall with a fireworks display. The last "eruption" was in 2012.
The two Louises
The Gothic House was the prince's private retreat, which he himself helped design. He lived here not with his wife Henriette Wilhelmine Louise, but with the daughter of his gardener, Louise Schoch, and their three children. Louise was considered the prince's "second wife" through the practice known as "marriage by the left-hand", which was widely-accepted by the royal court.
Princely pleasure
On the other side of the Gothic House, facing the water, there is a Venetian style façade. England and Italy, the prince's two loves, united in one house. The building was also used as an agricultural estate, and was surrounded by fields and orchards. Here the prince raised silkworms and devoted himself to his pomological studies, or the science of fruit cultivation.
Unbridled nature
Crops and livestock were also integrated into the park, again following the English model. The idea was for the park to blend into the surrounding nature. Fences were never an option. It was the prince's wish to combine beauty with practicality, an idea that proved so popular it was imitated across Germany and continental Europe.
Open to all
Prince Franz's park was an expensive hobby, but proved vital in paving the way for the development of horticulture in Germany. The maintenance costs remain high today. Despite this, entrance to the garden is still free, and it's open year round. In the spirit of its inventor, more than 200 years after its creation, it remains a garden for all.