Benrath Palace, built in 1755 on the instructions of Elector Carl Theodor of the Palatinate, is an architectural highlight in Düsseldorf. Designed by the French garden and building director Nicolas Pigage, it originally served as a summer and hunting lodge and later as a widow’s residence for the Electress Elisabeth Augusta. The main building of the castle, the Corps de Logis, forms a harmonious unit with the surrounding gardens, bodies of water and the park that stretches to the Rhine.
The château stands out for its refined architecture, which embodies the type of the Maison de Plaisance and combines architecture with landscape in a unique way. The façade of the castle follows the traditional idea of an aristocratic country and pleasure house, with Benrath being a modern, multifunctional ensemble. The building consists of four storeys above a basement plinth and comprises about 80 rooms. Connected to the wing buildings by underground passages, the castle has an advanced drainage system.
Benrath Castle regularly hosts guided tours and cultural events, including the popular Promenade Concerts, where early music of the 17. and 18th century in the breathtaking setting of the Corps de Logis. Visitors can also take special guided tours of the castle’s “Hidden Rooms”, which offer insights into the castle’s unseen infrastructure and extensive canal systems.
The collections of the Museum Corps de Logis include objects that are directly related to the construction of the castle, its furnishings and its inhabitants. These include furniture, clocks, textile wallpaper and paintings that illustrate life at Benrath Castle from the 18th to the 20th century. Furthermore, the museum houses a collection of Frankenthal porcelain, which reflects the artistic design and high quality of the manufactory products.
The Museum of Garden Art is dedicated to European garden art and its history, while the Natural History Museum in the western wing of the castle presents the regional flora and fauna as well as the bird collection of Dr. Peter Frey. The Natural History Museum is also home to the permanent exhibition “How People See Animals” with the animal sculptures by Josef Pallenberg.
