Visit Dachau Palace (Schloss Dachau) to admire resplendent Renaissance decorations, browse art exhibitions and attend concerts. Get an insight into how members of the House of Wittelsbach lived by exploring the rooms and gardens. On a clear day, take photos of the views of Munich and the Alps from the palace garden.
Established around 1100, the castle has been the home of esteemed German royalty such as Duke Otto I of Bavaria and King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria. It became a four-winged Renaissance palace in the 1500s, although only the remodeled baroque-style southwest wing remains today.
Inside, the coffered Renaissance ceiling of the banquet hall and a grisaille painting by Hans Thonauer are reminders of regal opulence. Look for a stone engraved with the names of the 16th-century architects in the vestibule.
The palace puts on temporary exhibitions curated by the Dachau Artists’ Association, which evolved from an artist colony that grew up in Dachau in the early 1900s. Appreciate the talents of German artists such as Georg Baselitz and Katharina Sieverding. Classical music recitals by international musicians also take place here. Ask for a schedule and purchase tickets at Dachau Tourist Information Office.
Save time to stroll through the orderly palace garden, where pathways run alongside tree-lined lawns and geometric flowerbeds. On clear days, it’s possible to view Munich and the Bavarian Alps from the garden’s upper ridge. Enjoy more views and dine on traditional German fare at the garden restaurant. Come in July for the Baroque Picnic, which is a festival of live music, food and drink.
Find the palace situated above Dachau Old Town and less than a mile from Dachau railway station. Limited parking is available at the rear of the building. The Dachau Painting Gallery and District Museum of Dachau are some nearby attractions.
Dachau Palace is open from Tuesday to Sunday and there’s an admission fee. Fees increase during exhibition periods.