Take a trip back in time at Fürstenlager State Park in Auerbach.

The Ernst Ludwig Temple

Fürstenlager was the summer residence of the Landgraves and Grand Dukes of Hesse-Darmstadt during the latter part of the 18th century and 19th century.  Today it is a 46-hectare park which offers the public a glimpse of royal life in by-gone days.

The park, with its collection of classical buildings set in an expansive English garden, makes a nice outing for adults or families with older children. There are no play facilities for the smaller ones, but the grounds are accessible for pushchairs and mobility devices.  

The Manor House
now houses the Landgasthof Herrenhaus Restaurant

Various tours and events are offered at the park, including botanical and historical tours.  There is also a two-hour tour which shows how bread was once baked baked in the “village”. While on the tour, you’re also given the opportunity to taste the freshly-baked bread along with sausages and wine.  Tours can be provided in English if you contact the park ahead of time.  The Landgasthof Herrenhaus lies within the park and offers a full menu, and there are also picnic facilities in the park if you’d like to pack your own refreshments.

History of the Park

Site of One of the
Original Healing Springs

The area in which the park lies first attracted interest when, in 1730, the Bensheim doctor, Johann David Heylend, pointed out that the springs there produced iron-rich mineral water which could provide health benefits to those who were ill. Excavations were carried out in 1739, and three water sources were found near each other.  These were developed for bathing and “taking the waters;” however, the facilities were not extensively used until after the end of the Seven Years War in 1766.  In 1767, an ailing Landgrave Ludwig XIII came to Fürstenlager seeking a cure for his illness.  The success of the cure led to the bathing facilities being opened on a permanent basis in the summer months. Residential buildings were added to the east and west of the fountains to accommodate the royal bathers and their entourage.

In 1783, the crown prince, Ludwig, and his wife, Louise, visited the baths,  again to cure a royal illness, and they, too, became regular summer visitors.  This brought on a spate of building, with the expansion of existing structures and the addition of various other buildings. The grounds were also laid out during this time under the direction of the court gardener, Carl Ludwig Geiger.

After the death of the Grand Duchess Louise in 1829 and her husband a year later, Fürstenlager’s heyday as a health resort was largely over due to the lack of minerals now to be found in the water, however, the residence remained popular with the royal set as a place of relaxation. The summer residents included Princess Alice, daughter of Queen Victoria who had married into the Hesse-Darmstadt family. It was during Alice’s time at Fürstenlager that many exotic plants, shrubs and trees were added to enhance the grounds.

After the end of World War I, the last grand duke, Ernst Ludwig, was forced from his throne with the

formation of the People’s State of Hesse (a forerunner to today’s larger state of Hesse), and the park and buildings became the property of the state.  At that point the park was used largely for forestry purposes, and some of the buildings were demolished due to their poor condition. The state administration of castles and gardens (Verwaltung der Staatlichen Schlösser und Gärten) took over the upkeep of Fürstenlager in 1953 and, in the 1980s, the administration set about restoring the park and buildings as they were in the early 19th century.  

Among them are building to see are:

• The Manor House (Herrenhaus) (1790-1792) houses a country-inn style restaurant.  It is the only two-storey building in the complex.
• The Kammerhaus (1790-1792), located behind the Herrenhaus, served as the accommodation of the Grand Duke’s chamber servants ;
• The Princess Building (Prinzenbau) and the Ladies’ Building (Damenbau) (both 1790-1792)
• The Guard House (Wachthäuschen) , originally located on the meadow (Herrenwiese), was moved 1804 to its present place at the "village"

• 

  The Linen House
  Now the Museum Shop

  The kitchen complex (1783-1787), housed a forge, stable, laundry room, coal cellar, injection house, bowling alley, cellar, oven and chicken coop.
• The pastry shop (Konditoreibau) (1790-1792)
• The House of the Wellkeeper (Haus des Brunnenverwalters) (1790-1792)
• The Linen House (Weißzeughäuschen) (1790-1792), now houses the tourist office and souvenir shop
• The Cavalier Building (1783-1787) built as an accommodation for courtiers,  today the seat of the park administration
• The Pisébau (1810-1811) originally served to accommodate guests. Today, there are exhibition rooms
• The stable building (Stallbau) (1783-1787, expanded around 1800)
• Health Fountain (Gesundbrunnen)  (1768)
• The Hermitage (around 1787), a small chapel decorated with bark
• The Grotto (1790-1791)
• The Luise Monument (Luisendenkmal) (1786)
• The Ernst-Ludwig- Tempel (early 20th century)
• The friendship altar (Freundschaftsalter) (1824, reconstructed in 1999)
• The ice cellar (Eiskeller) (before 1792) a vault for storing food

In the gardens look out for the oldest giant sequoia tree in Germany (44.35 meters, circumference 5.94 meters at chest height), swamp cypresses, sickle pines, and dark flowing magnolia trees.

Address:	Fürstenlager, 64625 Bensheim-Auerbach, Germany, Tel .: 0049 (0) 6251 9346-0, https://www.schloesser-hessen.de/bensheimauerbachstaatspark.html
Getting There:	Public transportation: DB destination station Bensheim-Auerbach (Walk 30 minutes) By car: Parking facilities Parking Bachgasse (Walk 5 minutes)
Opening Times:	Park Grounds - Year Round Permanent exhibition April - October Saturday, sunday, holidays 12:00 - 18:00 hours Museum shop, tours March - October Saturday, sunday, holidays 12:00 - 18:00 hours Tel .: (0049) (0) 6251 - 93 46 15 Landgasthof Herrenhaus Restaurant Wednesday to Sunday 12 - 21pm Prince's Camp 34 64625 Bensheim-Auerbach, Germany Tel .: 0049 (0) 6251/98909910
Fees:	Entrance to the park is free See website for tour prices