Ludwigslust
Nov. 5th, 2026 01:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lupestripeThings aren't going well professionally right now, with my main client serving notice for the end of October and a second client being caught up in this PHP hacking nightmare. As a result, starting from this week, I have a fair amount of time on my hands. Money is still incredibly tight, but with the Deutschland Ticket, all regional travel is paid for. Consequently, I have decided to try and see some reachable sights on the rare days when the weather allows. Wednesday was one of those days.
I had wanted to visit Ludwigslust ever since we swung by Schwerin two-and-a-half years ago. The main draw there is Ludwigslust Palace, which was built in stages throughout the 18th century. Starting out as a simple hunting lodge one day's ride from the capital of Mecklenburg in 1724 (Ludwigslust literally means Ludwig's Joy), disputes between Prince Christian Ludwig and his brother over the succession of the Mecklenburg Duchy prevented this from growing too much. There was a video exhibit about this dispute in the first room of the tour. In 1765, Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin made Ludwigslust the capital of the duchy instead of Schwerin, meaning the castle was significantly enhanced in the late-Baroque style. Completed in 1776, it is a rather squat but no less grand building. It also sits in its own gardens, which were a pleasure to wander through on a sunny autumn day. Indeed, the setting sun casting wonderful colours on the autumnal leaves made for some great photographs, while it was also fun trying to find the mausoleums, grotto, and the newly-reconstructed Swiss House amongst the many trees. Worryingly, there were frequent signs talking about 'risk to life' from falling trees, but everyone seemed to be ignoring these so I wasn't too concerned.
The advantage of going to any place off-season on a weekday is that you largely have the place to yourself. Indeed, I toured around Schloss Ludwigslust and tourists were definitely outnumbered by staff. I only saw five other tourists during my stay, with me having most of the rooms completely to myself. This meant you could pretend to be a duke yourself, living in such opulence. Many of the rooms had original features - particularly the porcelain heating system which was a 19th century addition from a Berlin-based manufacturer - but the reconstructions were also faithful. The sumptuous velvet wallpaper was perhaps the most striking, particularly as every room had a different colour and thus a different vibe. Most rooms contained various portraiture which I largely skipped over - those explanations were in German and I find portraits stiflingly dull at the best of times - but some of the ceiling and floor panelling was also wondrous to observe. Of course, the highlight was the exquisite gold hall with its Greek-style columns and wide open space, which would have made banquets a feast. Today, there were a few rows of chairs and a grand piano sat in the corner.
The whole tour took just over an hour, which was just as well as the castle shut at 4pm. Considering it was two hours away from Spandau by regional train (I could have gotten a fast ICE which would have gotten me there in 55 minutes, but then that wasn't free), time was tight but I did manage to see everything I wanted. The staff were super friendly too, while I had to clean the soles of my shoes with an automatic brush shoe cleaner, which was the first time I have ever had to do this. There was an audio guide but it involved downloading the Mecklenburg-Verpommern app from a QR code. I did do this, but then it didn't work when I tried to load it up. This is a shame as there was a children's version too, denoted by a fox wearing headphones on the explanatory signs that were displayed in every room. Fortunately, these were in both German and English, and were enough to get an understanding of what each room was. Some of the main furniture and artwork was mentioned here, while I was happy to pass through the portraiture as I have said. The main artwork room was a bric-a-brac collection of basic art pieces, which was quite underwhelming. I do think the original art was destroyed in a fire though. The signs also told you about what was original and what was restored, with a video montage in one of the rooms showcasing some of the restoration process.
Wandering around the main gardens was fun, but the more interesting areas were out front. This was where I started, approaching from the Bahnhof, which was about a 15-minute walk at the northern fringe of the town. The main cobbled Platz outside the castle is used as a small car park and thoroughfare, but opposite the castle sits the Kaskade, a small fountain on one edge of the square that utilises the water from the stream which flows directly behind it. The stream is at the same height as the Platz, so the fountain is cut below it, which makes for an interesting sight. The sound of flowing water is quite evocative too, with there being quite a watery presence in the town overall. Indeed, there is a pretty fast-flowing canal that cuts its way through the place, while the Catholic church associated with the castle sits on its own man-made moat off to the western flank. The sound of the water of the Kaskade can also be heard when you are looking at the statue to composer and double-bassist Johannes Matthias Sperger, who moved to Ludwigslust in 1789 and died in the town in 1812.
Opposite the castle, around 500m away across a grassy square hemmed in by cute houses that look like they could have once been stables, sits the Evangelical Stadtkirche. This is huge, built in the Greek style with a massive PX on the top. It only becomes more imposing the closer you get to it, although sadly it was closed. En route, you walk through the Gedenkstatte, a burial site dedicated to 200 victims who died at the nearby Wöbbelin concentration camp. Each grave is marked either by a cross or Star of David, with the memorial commemorating the humanitarian actions of the paratroopers and glidetroopers of the US Army 82nd Airborne Division who liberated the camp on 2 May 1945. Walking through this simple dedication while walking to the church evokes quite a heavy feeling.
It was around this time that I was feeling dizzy, and felt I may need to call the trip off and go home. However, I spotted a Penny supermarket and thought maybe a little bit of lunch would help. While walking there, I stumbled across a more local shop called Konsum, in which there was the Bäckerei Ickert. This place had the usual German sandwiches, all annoying containing cucumber and tomato, but I did enjoy their Mettbrötchen with finely chopped onions. I also got a Schenke and a Hanseaten, two shortbread biscuits with jam in between, with the one on the top iced with pink-and-white icing. I sat on their outside seating to eat my makeshift lunch and for €6 for everything, not only was it incredible value, but it was one of the best tasting lunches too. This did seem to cure me of my dizziness, although I am not sure from where it came. It may have been just general tiredness - I had had a glass of wine the night before which woke me up for the toilet four times overnight - or my high levels of stress. I'm probably so gunked up with cortisol that it's having a detrimental effect.
The castle was closing at 4pm and while they reassured me that the grounds were open all year round, I didn't want to risk it. It was also getting dark by the time I left, and being in heavy forest was probably not wise, not least forest which posed a risk of death. I decided to check out the town itself, having gone the direct non-scenic route earlier that day from the station to the castle. Schloßstr. is the main street leading up to the palace, albeit off to the side for some reason, and on this street there are some neat little shops and eateries. The demure town hall is also here, sat opposite the grander Postamt - its red bricks and turrets dominating this part of the street. Tucked in one of the back streets there was also the Literatische Stein. There are apparently four of these simple white stone blocks, but I only saw two of them. They look like crypt coffins in a church, except they display quotes from key people about the history and architecture of Ludwigslust. The second was near the main roundabout upon which there sits a statue of a woman of a horse. The two Literartische Steine I saw were for Garinson and Heimweh.
Ludwigslust itself is a small, rather quiet town with little going on. There was little to do and see beyond this, although I did notice how many signs were on display promoting democracy as a participatory act and extolling the virtues of diversity. This made me feel comfortable here, while there were quite a few 'Kein Bock Für Nazis' stickers on lampposts too. Considering the two main Ludwigslust Wahlkreise both voted AfD very comfortably in last September's election, maybe my comfort was misplaced. Still, everyone I met was friendly and tolerated my German too, so it was a nice day. As the RE8 regional train was every two hours, I ended up having a 50-minute wait back at the station after I had ticked off the remaining sights - the canal, the Stiftskirche with its outside bell in a wooden frame, and the Palais Bülow which was just a house. It was quite cold waiting for the train and I was surprised by the number of freight services that rumbled past. I was also delighted to see Hula Hoops have now reached Germany, although I am not shocked to discover their 'Original' flavour is Paprika. At least I got a decent seat on the journey home - on the way there, it was a vestibule affair - and once I had picked up some beers for Wolfie (where I had an in-depth conversation with the sales assistant in German), I headed home. I was tempted to drink the one beer I bought from the 'avec' shop at Ludwigslust station, but I fell asleep on the train, then didn't have time to drink it. With the recent alcohol ban at train stations, I wasn't sure how I could get an open can of beer from the train (where drinking it is legal) to outside the station (where drinking it is also legal) without arousing suspicion on the platform.
I am hoping to do a few more day trips over the coming months, at least until my work situation improves. I am applying for jobs and searching for new clients, but it is quite a slog. Major changes will be coming, I feel, as this cannot go on. In the meantime though, I am hoping to make the most of my current free time.
I had wanted to visit Ludwigslust ever since we swung by Schwerin two-and-a-half years ago. The main draw there is Ludwigslust Palace, which was built in stages throughout the 18th century. Starting out as a simple hunting lodge one day's ride from the capital of Mecklenburg in 1724 (Ludwigslust literally means Ludwig's Joy), disputes between Prince Christian Ludwig and his brother over the succession of the Mecklenburg Duchy prevented this from growing too much. There was a video exhibit about this dispute in the first room of the tour. In 1765, Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin made Ludwigslust the capital of the duchy instead of Schwerin, meaning the castle was significantly enhanced in the late-Baroque style. Completed in 1776, it is a rather squat but no less grand building. It also sits in its own gardens, which were a pleasure to wander through on a sunny autumn day. Indeed, the setting sun casting wonderful colours on the autumnal leaves made for some great photographs, while it was also fun trying to find the mausoleums, grotto, and the newly-reconstructed Swiss House amongst the many trees. Worryingly, there were frequent signs talking about 'risk to life' from falling trees, but everyone seemed to be ignoring these so I wasn't too concerned.
The advantage of going to any place off-season on a weekday is that you largely have the place to yourself. Indeed, I toured around Schloss Ludwigslust and tourists were definitely outnumbered by staff. I only saw five other tourists during my stay, with me having most of the rooms completely to myself. This meant you could pretend to be a duke yourself, living in such opulence. Many of the rooms had original features - particularly the porcelain heating system which was a 19th century addition from a Berlin-based manufacturer - but the reconstructions were also faithful. The sumptuous velvet wallpaper was perhaps the most striking, particularly as every room had a different colour and thus a different vibe. Most rooms contained various portraiture which I largely skipped over - those explanations were in German and I find portraits stiflingly dull at the best of times - but some of the ceiling and floor panelling was also wondrous to observe. Of course, the highlight was the exquisite gold hall with its Greek-style columns and wide open space, which would have made banquets a feast. Today, there were a few rows of chairs and a grand piano sat in the corner.
The whole tour took just over an hour, which was just as well as the castle shut at 4pm. Considering it was two hours away from Spandau by regional train (I could have gotten a fast ICE which would have gotten me there in 55 minutes, but then that wasn't free), time was tight but I did manage to see everything I wanted. The staff were super friendly too, while I had to clean the soles of my shoes with an automatic brush shoe cleaner, which was the first time I have ever had to do this. There was an audio guide but it involved downloading the Mecklenburg-Verpommern app from a QR code. I did do this, but then it didn't work when I tried to load it up. This is a shame as there was a children's version too, denoted by a fox wearing headphones on the explanatory signs that were displayed in every room. Fortunately, these were in both German and English, and were enough to get an understanding of what each room was. Some of the main furniture and artwork was mentioned here, while I was happy to pass through the portraiture as I have said. The main artwork room was a bric-a-brac collection of basic art pieces, which was quite underwhelming. I do think the original art was destroyed in a fire though. The signs also told you about what was original and what was restored, with a video montage in one of the rooms showcasing some of the restoration process.
Wandering around the main gardens was fun, but the more interesting areas were out front. This was where I started, approaching from the Bahnhof, which was about a 15-minute walk at the northern fringe of the town. The main cobbled Platz outside the castle is used as a small car park and thoroughfare, but opposite the castle sits the Kaskade, a small fountain on one edge of the square that utilises the water from the stream which flows directly behind it. The stream is at the same height as the Platz, so the fountain is cut below it, which makes for an interesting sight. The sound of flowing water is quite evocative too, with there being quite a watery presence in the town overall. Indeed, there is a pretty fast-flowing canal that cuts its way through the place, while the Catholic church associated with the castle sits on its own man-made moat off to the western flank. The sound of the water of the Kaskade can also be heard when you are looking at the statue to composer and double-bassist Johannes Matthias Sperger, who moved to Ludwigslust in 1789 and died in the town in 1812.
Opposite the castle, around 500m away across a grassy square hemmed in by cute houses that look like they could have once been stables, sits the Evangelical Stadtkirche. This is huge, built in the Greek style with a massive PX on the top. It only becomes more imposing the closer you get to it, although sadly it was closed. En route, you walk through the Gedenkstatte, a burial site dedicated to 200 victims who died at the nearby Wöbbelin concentration camp. Each grave is marked either by a cross or Star of David, with the memorial commemorating the humanitarian actions of the paratroopers and glidetroopers of the US Army 82nd Airborne Division who liberated the camp on 2 May 1945. Walking through this simple dedication while walking to the church evokes quite a heavy feeling.
It was around this time that I was feeling dizzy, and felt I may need to call the trip off and go home. However, I spotted a Penny supermarket and thought maybe a little bit of lunch would help. While walking there, I stumbled across a more local shop called Konsum, in which there was the Bäckerei Ickert. This place had the usual German sandwiches, all annoying containing cucumber and tomato, but I did enjoy their Mettbrötchen with finely chopped onions. I also got a Schenke and a Hanseaten, two shortbread biscuits with jam in between, with the one on the top iced with pink-and-white icing. I sat on their outside seating to eat my makeshift lunch and for €6 for everything, not only was it incredible value, but it was one of the best tasting lunches too. This did seem to cure me of my dizziness, although I am not sure from where it came. It may have been just general tiredness - I had had a glass of wine the night before which woke me up for the toilet four times overnight - or my high levels of stress. I'm probably so gunked up with cortisol that it's having a detrimental effect.
The castle was closing at 4pm and while they reassured me that the grounds were open all year round, I didn't want to risk it. It was also getting dark by the time I left, and being in heavy forest was probably not wise, not least forest which posed a risk of death. I decided to check out the town itself, having gone the direct non-scenic route earlier that day from the station to the castle. Schloßstr. is the main street leading up to the palace, albeit off to the side for some reason, and on this street there are some neat little shops and eateries. The demure town hall is also here, sat opposite the grander Postamt - its red bricks and turrets dominating this part of the street. Tucked in one of the back streets there was also the Literatische Stein. There are apparently four of these simple white stone blocks, but I only saw two of them. They look like crypt coffins in a church, except they display quotes from key people about the history and architecture of Ludwigslust. The second was near the main roundabout upon which there sits a statue of a woman of a horse. The two Literartische Steine I saw were for Garinson and Heimweh.
Ludwigslust itself is a small, rather quiet town with little going on. There was little to do and see beyond this, although I did notice how many signs were on display promoting democracy as a participatory act and extolling the virtues of diversity. This made me feel comfortable here, while there were quite a few 'Kein Bock Für Nazis' stickers on lampposts too. Considering the two main Ludwigslust Wahlkreise both voted AfD very comfortably in last September's election, maybe my comfort was misplaced. Still, everyone I met was friendly and tolerated my German too, so it was a nice day. As the RE8 regional train was every two hours, I ended up having a 50-minute wait back at the station after I had ticked off the remaining sights - the canal, the Stiftskirche with its outside bell in a wooden frame, and the Palais Bülow which was just a house. It was quite cold waiting for the train and I was surprised by the number of freight services that rumbled past. I was also delighted to see Hula Hoops have now reached Germany, although I am not shocked to discover their 'Original' flavour is Paprika. At least I got a decent seat on the journey home - on the way there, it was a vestibule affair - and once I had picked up some beers for Wolfie (where I had an in-depth conversation with the sales assistant in German), I headed home. I was tempted to drink the one beer I bought from the 'avec' shop at Ludwigslust station, but I fell asleep on the train, then didn't have time to drink it. With the recent alcohol ban at train stations, I wasn't sure how I could get an open can of beer from the train (where drinking it is legal) to outside the station (where drinking it is also legal) without arousing suspicion on the platform.
I am hoping to do a few more day trips over the coming months, at least until my work situation improves. I am applying for jobs and searching for new clients, but it is quite a slog. Major changes will be coming, I feel, as this cannot go on. In the meantime though, I am hoping to make the most of my current free time.
