Germany – Nymphenburg Palace
Nymphenburg Palace is much more than a summer home for the royal Wittelsbach. It is an expansive palace and garden that has stylistically changed during the 17th-19th centuries. Once a palace surrounded by countryside, Nymphenburg is now surrounded by careful English garden which becomes more wild the further you get from the palace, with small lakes and petite park palaces sprinkled throughout. A visit to Nymphenburg would not be complete without seeing the great hall, the gallery of beauties, a walk through the gardens, and a stroll through the carriage museum.
Inside Nymphenburg Palace
One of the best things about visiting Nymphenburg Palace is that a guided tour is not required. This means you can discover and meander through the rooms at your own pace and take photos. There are information plaques in each room and you can purchase an audio guide for 3.50 €. You can walk through or look into about 21 rooms, which is only a sliver of the sheer amount of rooms at the Palace. The amount of rooms felt attainable and gave context to the families who lived and built Nymphenburg without being overwhelming.
At a Glance:
- Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars – Would go again in a heartbeat
- Intensity: Castle outfit and walking shoes
- Location: About 15 mins from downtown Munich
- Cost: 11.50 € combination ticket April 1 – October 15, 8.50 € for combination October 16 –
March 31, includes carriages, porcelain and park palaces. - Timing: 4+ Hours
- Restrooms: Backside of Palace near main stairs
Highlights:
- Tour is not required, so you can explore at your own pace
- The gardens are enormous and lovely to wander
- The carriages in the carriage museum (Marstallmuseum) are incredible
- Beautiful rooms including the grand entrance and room of beauties
My Favorite Rooms:
- The Great Hall: Designed to impress its visitors, the Great Hall did not disappoint. The room is extravagant with high ceilings, gold leaf, and beautiful chandeliers. Painted across the entire ceiling is an Olympic Heaven. On one side, nymphs pay homage to Flora, who has become a goddess. This image gives Nymphenburg its name – “Castle of Nymphs”. The style of the room is unchanged since 1758 and with its details and flourishes, sits squarely in the Rococo style. The room feels dreamy, romantic, and full of light. If I could only visit one room in the Palace, this would be it.
- The Gallery of Beauties: Quite scandalous, Ludwig I commissioned an artist to paint 36 of Munich’s most beautiful women. Not only the ladies of the court, Ludwig I prided himself on discovering beauty in all classes (primarily the middle class). A couple of the portraits are innocent enough, including Helene Sedlmayr, whom the king happened to meet when she came to the palace to deliver some toys ordered for the children. Others were not so chaste, including a couple of his mistresses. Looking through the portraits, you cannot help but wonder more about each of these ladies, how they came in contact with the king, and what happened to them afterward. I also couldn’t take my eyes off of all the luxurious clothing the ladies were wearing in their portraits.
- The Queen’s Bedchamber: If you are visiting some of the other famous castles in Germany (Neuschwanstein and Linderhof), you will have no doubt heard of Ludwig II. The Queen’s bedchamber is where Ludwig II was born in 1845 and the room still holds queen Marie’s original furnishings.
Walking the Gardens and Park Palaces
There is a 490-acre park surrounding Nymphenburg Palace. The park has a carefully tended and arranged English Garden immediately around Nymphenburg Palace and a more naturally wooded area with winding paths further away. The park is a highlight of visiting the palace and quiet respite from the bustle of Munich. When we arrived, we saw runners utilizing the natural space for exercise. Water also plays a large part in the design of the gardens. The large canal sets the stage for a grand entrance, which you can take a gondola ride on in the summer, and continues around to the back of the palace. To encourage your discovery of the gardens, check out these park palaces:
- Amalienburg: Originally a hunting lodge, Amalienburg is a touted as one of the most exquisite creations of European Rococo style. Amalienburg is only open for part of the year, so we were unable to witness the incredible detail and see how adorable it is in person – next time!
- Badenburg: On the far side of the park, on the bank of a small lake is a bathing pavilion. The Badenburg belongs to a long tradition dating back to the opulent baths of the Roman emperors. This Roman bath was large enough for swimming. There is also a level above the bath for viewing, which I am very curious about its usage. Badenburg was also closed for the season when we visited.
- Schlosscafe Palmenhaus: The Palm House is a cafe and restaurant built into one of the greenhouses on the property. There are gorgeous large windows and palm trees inside. A relaxing environment to rejuvenate after much walking and discovery.
Carriage and Porcelain Museums
The Marstallmuseum, or carriage museum was surprisingly enjoyable to visit. A combination ticket includes the Marstallmuseum as well as the Park Palaces. Inside the Museum, there are a variety of carriages that belonged to the royal family throughout the years. It begins with single-person seats carried by servants to large and extravagant carriages, to the mind-blowingly opulent and imaginative carriages of Ludwig II. The various sleds were also a delight. I couldn’t believe how darling some of the carriages were with their giant wheels and round shapes. The entire time I was thinking of Cinderella’s pumpkin carriage. I recommend checking out the Museum if you have any interest in feeling like a princess.
If have an appreciation for porcelain, you should make a beeline for the porcelain museum. As someone who appreciates art, I found the porcelain interesting but not compelling. It could have been the order in which we visited things, but it was an overwhelming amount of porcelain. There was a porcelain factory on the Nymphenburg grounds, so it was interesting to see the source of the porcelain we saw at Linderhof and elsewhere. I loved the Rococo-era porcelain with its delicate flowers and figures.
Getting to Nymphenburg Palace
We took public transportation to Nymphenburg Palace via the 17 Tram from Hauptbahnhof toward Amalienburgstraße. You can also take the S-Bahn to Liam and walk from there. It takes about 30 mins either way you slice it. By car, I would use GoogleMaps or navigation. You can also check the official museum page of Nymphenburg for directions.
Overall thoughts: Nymphenburg Palace
Visiting Nymphenburg Palace was a lovely way to spend the morning. The gardens are gorgeous, the interior of the palace is attainable, and the carriage museum was icing on top. I would recommend visiting Nyphemburg if you are looking for break from the hustle and bustle of downtown Munich. When we arrived to Nymphenburg, there were swans in the front canal area – one of royal motifs.
This palace was very different than the other castles we saw in Germany in that it was very formal and stately. It felt older than Linderhof and Neuschwanstein because it is. If you are trying to decide between Nymphenburg and the Residenz, it would be a tough call. I would go to Nymphenburg for the gardens and overall experience, but would head to Residenz for more luxury in the interiors. Here are all my castle/palace posts:
What other German or non-German palaces do you recommend visiting? I have a hard time saying anything negative about visiting castles and palaces because they are so much fun! Comment below to tell me more palaces I should visit!
Happy Travels,
Hanna
