Residenz Ellingen (Ellingen Residence) is the architectural treasure of the Bavarian town of Ellingen. For several hundred years this was the residence of the Territorial Commander of the Bailiwick of Franconia, the highest and wealthiest division of the Teutonic Order. Visit Residenz Ellingen to admire its regal grandeur from the outside and tour its stately rooms and courtyard. Walk beneath ancient trees and alongside colorful flowerbeds in the garden.
Established around 1216, the palace has witnessed numerous changes throughout its 800 year history. Today it displays the elegance and elaborateness of baroque and neoclassical designs. Spot decorative features such as Greek-style columns, pilasters, grotesques and sculptures of allegorical characters. A series of religious statues stand on a rooftop balustrade.
The palace’s princely suites are considered among the most significant examples of the classicist period in Bavaria. Appreciate exquisite ceiling frescoes, stucco work and wall paneling by architects such as the Austrian Franz Joseph Roth and Frenchman Pierre Michel d’Ixnard.
A striking colonnade and baroque-style sculptures are highlights of the Schlosshof courtyard, which hosts open-air concerts. See other ornate baroque decorations in the Schlosskirche.
Bask in the peaceful natural confines of Schlosspark Ellingen, the palace’s 7.4-acre (3-hectare) English-style landscape garden. Beech trees and a 200-year-old gingko are dotted around the grassy lawns. Spot a baroque balustrade, which is the sole-surviving architectural aspect of the original garden. Come at Easter, when a carpet of violet two-leaf squill cover the lawns.
You’ll find the residence in the town center of Ellingen. The town’s railway terminal is a 15-minute walk away. From here there’s a direct train connection to Nuremberg.
Residenz Ellingen is open from Tuesday to Sunday. Access is by guided tour only. Tours have a fee, are in German and take place every hour.
Contact the residence in advance via its official website to arrange tours in English. The palace garden is accessible all day, every day.
