Pillnitz Palace and Park

General Information
Opened: 1720
Location: Dresden, Germany
Type: Historic palace and botanical garden

Pillnitz Palace and Park is a historic palace complex and extensive landscaped garden on the banks of the Elbe in Dresden. The present palace ensemble was developed from the early 18th century under Augustus the Strong and later became the summer residence of the Saxon royal family. The grounds combine Baroque and English garden designs with distinctive Chinese-inspired architecture, including the Riverside and Hillside Palaces, the New Palace and the Chinese Pavilion.

The approximately 25-hectare park is particularly notable for its extensive botanical collections and historic plant houses. The Palm House contains exotic vegetation from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand and also houses quails, which are kept as natural pest control. The park is also home to free-ranging Mandarin ducks, which can be seen around its ponds and other areas of the grounds.