Gartenträume Park Wörlitz
Sachsen-Anhalt
Gartenträume Park Wörlitz, part of the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm, is one of the earliest and largest English-style landscape parks in continental Europe. Created between 1769 and 1773 under Duke Leopold III of Anhalt-Dessau, it reflects the Enlightenment philosophy emphasizing natural beauty and education. The park features neoclassical architecture, including the Wörlitz Palace-the first Neoclassical building in present-day Germany-designed by Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff. The gardens were laid out by Johann Friedrich Eyserbeck, inspired by English antecedents such as Stourhead and Stowe. The park integrates water-rich landscapes along an Elbe river anabranch, with a dam doubling as a scenic belt-walk. Notable structures include the Wörlitz Synagogue, modeled after the ancient Temple of Vesta, symbolizing religious tolerance, and the Neo-Gothic St Peter's Church with its 66-meter steeple. The park served as an educational institution in architecture, gardening, and agriculture, open to the public from its inception. Its design was influenced by Rousseau's philosophy and Winckelmann's aesthetics, visible in features like Rousseau Island, inspired by Ermenonville Park. Today, the park remains a cultural landmark and a prime example of Enlightenment landscape design.
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Astuce: The park is open year-round with free access; however, weather conditions may cause temporary closures. Public guided tours run daily from April to October at 1 PM, meeting in front of the kitchen building near the palace. Tickets are available online or at the information center. Visitors are advised to check for any weather-related updates and consider booking tours in advance to ensure availability. The park offers limited winter services and includes accessible paths for visitors with mobility needs.
Faits intéressants
- •The Wörlitz Palace was the first Neoclassical building in present-day Germany, completed in 1773.
- •The Wörlitz Synagogue, built in 1790, is modeled after the ancient Temple of Vesta and survived the 1938 Kristallnacht due to the park custodian's intervention.
- •The park includes Rousseau Island, inspired by the island at Ermenonville Park where philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau was buried.
- •The park is part of a larger 142 km² cultural landscape within the Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.
- •The dam protecting the park from Elbe floods also serves as a scenic belt-walk with numerous viewpoints.
Histoire
The origins of Gartenträume Park Wörlitz trace back to 1765 when Duke Leopold III, influenced by his Grand Tour of Europe and the ideals of the Enlightenment, initiated the transformation of formal Baroque gardens into a naturalistic English landscape park.
Between 1769 and 1773, the park was laid out as the first English garden on the European continent, with architecture and landscaping designed by Erdmannsdorff and Eyserbeck respectively.
Over the following decades, Leopold III expanded this aesthetic vision across several other parks and palaces in the region.
The park's development embodies a shift from Baroque formality to Enlightenment naturalism and educational openness, making it a pioneering cultural landscape.
Guide du lieu
Wörlitz Palace1773
The first Neoclassical building in present-day Germany, completed in 1773, served as the residence of Duke Leopold III and his wife. It houses valuable Roentgen cabinets and a Wedgwood porcelain collection, reflecting Enlightenment-era artistry.
Wörlitz Synagogue1790
Built in 1790 as a rotunda modeled after the ancient Temple of Vesta in Tivoli, Italy, this building symbolizes religious tolerance and was saved from destruction during Kristallnacht.
St Peter's Church1809
A Neo-Gothic church completed in 1809 featuring a 66-meter tall steeple, contributing to the park's architectural diversity and spiritual heritage.
Rousseau Island
An island within Neumark's Garden designed to imitate the island at Ermenonville Park where Jean-Jacques Rousseau was buried, reflecting Enlightenment philosophy and landscape aesthetics.
Contact
Téléphone: 034905 40920
