The best view of the beautiful Muskau Castle Park, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004 and stretches across two countries on both sides of the Neisse, is from the south-west tower of the castle complex. It was designed by one of the most dazzling personalities of the 19th century, Hermann Prince von Pückler-Muskau. An exhibition in the lavishly restored rooms of the New Palace in the neo-Renaissance style is dedicated to him.
Daily 10 am to 6 pm (depending on the season).
By car: Take the B156 and then the B115 to Bad Muskau. Follow the signs there.
Public transportation: Take a train to Bautzen. From there, take a bus or cab to Bad Muskau.
He was one of the most enigmatic personalities of the 19th century. Hermann Prince von Pückler-Muskau was considered eccentric and headstrong. He was a womanizer and bon vivant, traveller, writer and passionate landscape gardener. And he was a native Saxon. That is why the country today owes him one of the most beautiful and largest landscape parks in Europe. The Fürst Pückler Park Bad Muskau in the district of Görlitz has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004.
Visitors have the best view of Pückler's beautiful Garden Kingdom, which stretches across German and Polish territory on both sides of the Neisse, from the 25-metre-high south-west tower of the New Palace. Hermann was born here in 1785 as the eldest of five children of Count Ludwig von Pückler and his wife Countess Clementine von Callenberg. Even as a young man, he often went on trips. He was particularly impressed by the stately gardens he found in England. Inspired by this, at the age of 30 he began to build the exceptionally modern and visionary park, whose design influences extended beyond Europe to America. For a total of three decades, he continued to develop this masterpiece of garden, nature painting and landscape composition until he was finally forced to sell his property in 1845.
Pückler's dreams of building a medieval castle in Muskau and rebuilding the New Palace in the Neoclassical style were also thwarted by a lack of money. The three-winged complex therefore only acquired its current neo-Renaissance appearance under the subsequent owner of the estate, Prince Frederick of the Netherlands.
The New Palace was largely destroyed by arson in the final days of the Second World War, but remained in ruins during the GDR era. Reconstruction began in 1993 with the establishment of the “Fürst-Pückler-Park Bad Muskau” foundation. The restored castle tower is now home to the permanent exhibition, which focuses on “The Little Town of Muskau”. The west wing also houses temporary special exhibitions and a ballroom for events. And, of course, a multimedia exhibition also presents the many facets of the visionary park creator. It is entitled “Pückler! Pückler? Simply elusive” and allows guests to enjoy encounters with the green prince and self-promoter, who loved to play with identities, but is simply elusive.
