Oranienbaum

City, palace and palace garden

The Oranienbaum Palace complex immediately impresses with its size. But it is the whole place that is a fascinating testimony to the Baroque – laid out according to an ideal geometric design on a rectangular floor plan. An impressive central axis runs through the village, connects the market square and the palace grounds and makes its way far beyond the boundaries of the village into the Garden Realm.

History

How Holland and China came to Anhalt

It is from her that the current name of the village of Oranienbaum originates: Henriette Catharina, Princess of Orange-Nassau. Here, far from home, the Orange princess created her own little Holland after her marriage to Prince Johann Georg II of Anhalt. Chosen as a summer and later widow’s residence, the former village of Nischwitz was transformed into a sprawling baroque complex by the Dutch architect Cornelis Ryckwaert.

About a century later, Prince Franz incorporated his ancestor’s layout into the beautification of his principality according to the English model – today’s Garden Realm. He subtly interweaves the baroque ensemble with the surrounding landscape and redesigned part of the baroque palace park into an Anglo-Chinese garden according to the latest fashion.

Come on in!

What to expect

Lots to discover

Oranienbaum Palace

Oranienbaum Palace can be visited as part of a guided tour. Discover sumptuous leather wallpapers and Delft tiles, colourful imagery of chinois rooms and much more! The fact that the house is currently being restored is a real stroke of luck for you: When else can you take part in such an exciting process?

March 22 to April 30, 2025
Sat, Sun, public holidays 10:00-17:00

May 1 to September 30, 2025
Tue-Sun, public holidays 10:00-17:00

October 1 to November 2, 2025
Sat, Sun, holidays 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

The castle tours take place seasonally during regular opening hours (last tour at 4 pm).

Family tour: Sun 11:00 a.m.

A palace tells the story of what it’s made of.

Over the centuries, Oranienbaum Palace has become a stone witness to various eras, traces of which are still visible today.

More information

From 1693 onwards, Henriette Catharina established tobacco production in Oranienbaum. Most of the Oranienbaum families had their share in cultivation and processing, which helped the village to flourish. Based on the so-called tobacco colleges of the 17th century, there is now a permanent exhibition on this topic in the northern pavilion of Oranienbaum Palace.

More information

Participation in a guided tour of the castle
€ 9.00, reduced € 7.00
Children up to the age of 16 free when accompanied by an adult

Guided tours outside opening hours and for groups are possible by prior arrangement at special conditions.

Discounts
for groups of 15 persons or more
Students up to 25 years, trainees, unemployed, severely disabled persons (accompanying person free), holders of volunteer cards of the city of Dessau-Roßlau

Further conditions
Guided tour for school classes (max. 3 accompanying persons) and
Guided tours for student groups (max. 1 accompanying person, art history, history, restoration, horticulture etc. of all universities and universities of applied sciences) € 3.00 per person

Oranienbaum Castle
Schloßstraße 9a
D-06785 Oranienbaum-Wörlitz
OT Oranienbaum
Phone +49 (0) 34904.20259
schloss-oranienbaum@gartenreich.de

For strolling

Palace Park and Anglo-Chinese Garden

A wide geometric parterre opens up behind the baroque palace ensemble like a green carpet and invites you to take a leisurely stroll. The intricate English-Chinese area of the palace garden is unique: today you can only find such a garden in Oranienbaum in Germany!

The garden is open all year round and is accessible free of charge. Please note the evening closing times.

April 1 to October 31
7:00-21:00

November 1 to March 31
7:00-18:00

In the event of weather events, closures may take place at short notice. There is a limited winter service.

The guided tours through the palace park last approx. 50 minutes and include a visit to the Chinese House:
Tue-Sat 11:00
and daily 14:00

€ 9.00, reduced € 7.00

Guided tours outside opening hours are possible by prior arrangement at special conditions.

A look inside the Chinese House can be taken as part of the regular park tours. Further dates and special themed tours can be found in our event calendar.

The pagoda is only open on special occasions. The next dates can be found in our event calendar.

The palace garden can be explored in a playful way with the Actionbound app. Active and tricky tasks make a visit to the park a fun and informative experience for young and old.

Baroque city

made to measure

Oboom invites you

Tours

You are welcome to book guided tours for groups with us. Numerous anecdotes and unexpected stories invite you to smile and marvel.

We are happy to organize guided tours of Oranienbaum for groups on request at info@welterbe-gartenreich.de.

1hour up to 15 people
75.00 €, each additional person 5.00 €

2hours (town + castle park) up to 15 people
105.00 €, each additional person 7.00 €

Children up to 16 years free

Even today, elegant manufacturers’ villas, farmsteads, tobacco factories and the originally preserved baroque ensemble of castle, castle park and town bear witness to Oranienbaum’s 350-year history.

Along the monument trail, you can follow this history in a playful way – signs with special details are attached to the house facades.

Baroque art

City church

You can also visit the baroque town church: on an elliptical ground plan, the church from 1712 forms the crowning glory of the Oranienbaum urban ensemble.

daily 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Church service Sundays 10.30 a.m.
(in winter in the vicarage, Brauerstraße 26)

Oranienbaum Parish Office
Brauerstraße 26
06785 Oranienbaum-Wörlitz
OT Oranienbaum
Tel: 034904 / 20512
oranienbaum@kircheanhalt.de

More information

Did you know?

Oranges over oranges

A fine fragrance envelops the small village of Oranienbaum in the summer months. Why? The solution to the riddle is hidden in the palace park: hundreds and hundreds of orange and citrus trees stand here in rows, their blossoms exude a sweet aroma, their fruits shine in the most beautiful tones. Yes, in Oranienbaum the place name says it all.

The orange tree is the symbol of the House of Orange. And Henriette Catharina brought them with her to her new home. Even today, the city’s coat of arms is adorned with an orange tree and the market square is adorned with a wrought-iron tree with nine golden oranges.

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Tips, offers, events,...

Any questions?

We are here for you

Gartenreich Dessau-Wörlitz

Touristinformation

in the kitchen building at Wörlitz Castle
Kirchgasse 35, D-06785 Oranienbaum-Wörlitz
Phone +49 (0) 3 49 05.3 10 09
info@welterbe-gartenreich.de
www.welterbe-gartenreich.de

Opening hours 2025

January to March 21, November, December:
Monday to Friday 10:00 to 16:00

22. March to October 31:
Monday to Thursday, Sunday 9:30 am to 4:00 pm
Friday and Saturday 9:30 am to 5:00 pm