Schloss Pillnitz

Schloss Pillnitz is a summer palace and park on the Elbe at August-Böckstiegel-Straße 2 in Dresden's Pillnitz district, in Saxony, Germany, about 15 kilometres upstream from the Altstadt. Built from 1720 for Augustus the Strong by Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann, it is famous for its chinoiserie style, with curved roofs and decorative motifs inspired by East Asia that make it one of the best-known examples in Europe. The complex consists of the Wasserpalais on the riverside, the Bergpalais on the hill side and the New Palace between them, arranged around a courtyard, and a broad flight of steps that once led guests from the river landing directly into the garden. The Kunstgewerbemuseum, a museum of decorative arts, occupies the Bergpalais and New Palace, while the park contains a camellia house with a camellia tree more than 230 years old, an orangery, an English garden, a Chinese pavilion and a palm house. The camellia flowers in spring and attracts many visitors in late April. Visitors usually allow two to three hours for the palace museums and gardens. The most atmospheric way to arrive is by the historic paddle steamer of the Sächsische Dampfschiffahrt from the Terrassenufer in about 90 minutes, which lands at the palace steps. The grounds are open daily, while the palace museums operate mainly from April to October. The best photographs are taken from the river landing and from the Wasserpalais courtyard, and the busiest periods are summer weekends and the camellia season, while weekday mornings are quieter. The palace can also be reached by tram and bus via Loschwitz, and many visitors combine it with the Blaues Wunder and the funicular on the same day.