Pillnitz Castle is a much-visited destination in the Dresden city area. The summer residence with a beautiful castle park is not just for visitors Dresden a worthwhile excursion destination. Those who relax in Saxon Switzerland can also visit the castle. For a detailed overview, see the relevant Wikipedia article.
background
getting there
By bus and train
From Dresden city center you can use tram line 2 to the final stop in Kleinschachwitz and then take the Elbe ferry (short walk to the ferry). The ferry costs € 1.50. Public transport tickets (€ 2.20) are free of charge. The passenger ferry is in operation at midnight.
Tram line 1 and bus line 63 take you directly to the castle in 45 minutes.
For information on national rail travel, see here in the article Dresden.
In the street
By bicycle
The signposted alternative route of the leads through Pillnitz Elbe cycle path, which is mainly on the right side of the Elbe on the road without a cycle path. The road is very busy from Dresden. The cobblestone towpath right on the shore is nice but very bumpy.
The traffic-free cycle path on the left bank of the Elbe should be used and crossed over by ferry. One way cost by bike: € 2.00, return trip: € 3.50. The tram takes bicycles with you for a surcharge of € 2 (day ticket). The ferry fee is then waived.
By boat
A romantic way of getting here is a paddle steamer trip from the center of Dresden:
- "Pillnitz" steam station - Fares with liner in 2014 from Dresden-Terrassenufer (= city center):
One way: € 13.50, return ticket: € 17.50.
Travel times from the terrace bank: 90 minutes upstream, 60 minutes downstream.
One way from Pirna: € 7, return ticket: € 11
- Further information like timetable: www.saechsische-dampfschiffahrt.de
mobility
The palace and garden are explored on foot. The castle park is open daily from 6 a.m. until dark. Since April 2012, the park and the plant houses have cost admission between 9 am and 6 pm: € 2, concessions: € 1; Children up to 16 years free.
An overview plan as a PDF file is available on the website of the State Palaces and Gardens to be found here.
Tourist Attractions
New palace with castle museum
The museum provides information about the history of the castle. You can see the late classicist domed hall, the chapel and the reconstructed court kitchen.
- Opening hours: April to October Tue - Sun from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday is closed. During the winter months it is only open on the weekends as part of guided tours.
- Entry: Adults: € 8 including the arts and crafts museum, park and plant houses, reduced: € 6 (excluding pensioners), children up to 16 years free.
Water palace and mountain palace with arts and crafts museum
The Kunstgewerbemuseum is part of the Dresden State Art Collections.
- Opening hours: May to October daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from November to April is closed.
Palm house
The steel greenhouse was built between 1859 and 1861. Since March 2009 the house can be visited again. Plants from South Africa and Australia can be seen in three different temperature ranges.
- Opening hours: November - March: Tue - Sun from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; April - October: Tue-Sun from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Entrance fee: since April 2012 in Park entry contain.
camellia
The 8.6 meter high and more than 230 years old 1 Pillnitz camellia
is one of the oldest camellias in Europe. The Swedish naturalistCarl Peter Thunberg brought the camellia with him as one of four potted plants from his trip to Japan in 1776 to the Royal Botanical Garden Kew in London. While one copy remained in London, the other three were given away to mansions in Europe. So a plant probably came to the court in Dresden between 1780 and 1790. The later court gardener Carl Adolph Terscheck planted the camellia in its current location in 1801. A heated wooden house was built around the camellia for frost protection in the winter months. In 1905 the wooden shelter burned down. But you were lucky in the misfortune, because due to the low temperatures of minus 20 degrees, the extinguishing water froze on the camellia and thus protected the plant.
Mobile camellia house: The 54-ton glass house built in 1992 is driven over the camellia between October and May. The modern 13.2 m high glass construction has computer-aided air conditioning. The flowering of the plant can be admired indoors between February and April. Then about 35,000 flowers decorate the tree.
- Opening hours: from mid-February to mid-April daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Entrance fees: included since April 2012 in Park entry
miscellaneous
- English garden. With pond and pavilion, cordoned off in 2014.
- Chinese garden. With pond and pavilion.
- Historic Elbe gondola. The Elector Friedrich August III. of Saxony. In the gondola built around 1800 and its sister ship, the members of the court were rowed to Pillnitz.
activities
- Walk through the castle park. Benches invite you to linger.
shop
- Shopping arcade in the Fliederhof, at the castle. Here you can, among other things. Buy handicrafts, chocolate, china and tea.
kitchen
Gastronomy is just outside the park.
accommodation
- Holiday house "Trompeterhaus", in the castle park.
- Holiday home "Little Guardian House", in the castle park.
- Apartment "Torsten Bäz", 600 m from the castle park.
- Castle Hotel Pillnitz. Upscale hotel right next to the castle.
Practical advice
- "Alte Wache" visitor center, directly at the castle. Tel.: (0)351 2613 260, Fax: (0)351 2613 280. Responsible for state palaces, castles and gardens in Saxony.Open: May to October daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., November to April daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on December 24th. and 31.12. is closed (as of 01-2010).
trips
- A visit to Pillnitz Castle can be ideally combined with a trip on a historic Elberad steamer.
- The charming churches are in the immediate vicinity 2 Maria on the water
and the 3 Weinbergkirche of the kennel builder Pöppelmann. - In the nearby 4 Carl Maria von Weber House the composer spent his summer vacation.
- The romantic one 5 Keppgrund inspired the composer for the Wolfsschlucht scene in “Freischütz” and is well suited for a walk.
- At the one above Pillnitz Castle 6 Artificial ruin there is a beautiful view over the Elbe valley.
literature
Web links
- Pillnitz Castle & Park - Official information from the state palaces and gardens to Pillnitz Palace.
