This may well be the most underrated site in Germany if you look at the ratings on this website and indeed, it is a site that reveals its extraordinary value and charm perhaps only when you dive deeper in its history and ideas. Another reason may be that some of our members wrote reviews without having seen more than one component and not even the most important ones, in which case you wonder how a rating could make any sense.

The central figure here is Prince Leopold III of Anhalt-Dessau who famously introduced landscape gardening into continental Europe. What may first sound only like a decorative achievement means actually much more since the change from the French philosophy of absolute rule, even over nature, to the open and “natural” English landscaping meant much more than an aesthetic change but a new concept of men and society. It included pedagogical, economic, social and medical reforms, more than in any other German state at the time. Also, the “noble simplicity” of the newly applied classical architecture referred to this utopian ideal. 

Prince Leopold definitely imported much more then gardening books from England and wanted to reform his little country completely and for the better of his people. He aimed to change his realm into one garden, a kind of paradise, that should not only be beautiful but progressive and useful for everybody. The beacons of this garden realm are the various palaces, some of them were built anew, some older ones were integrated into a remodeled landscape. And this English landscape was not only open in the aesthetic sense but could be entered and enjoyed by everybody. People could even knock at the palace door and often the family retired from their apartments to allow their guests unmolested access. The landscape was also transformed in an agricultural sense and the prince introduced modern methods to improve the harvest. He encouraged new methods of schooling that found interest and visitors from all over Europe: The schools should be non-confessional, free for all children, use modern media and models for more vividness.  Practical activities and experiment complimented visits to manufactories. 

Even the gardens served an educational service: for example, all the many bridges in the duchy are of a different construction or material. That is not only aesthetically pleasing but should show his subjects all the possible kinds of bridge construction: Metal, wooden and stone bridges, hanging, floating and swimming bridges. The whole landscape was transformed into a delightful schoolbook for everybody. 

When I visited the area in April 2024 I travelled without a car. In total that was not a problem, but you have to do some good planning especially on weekends when there is very little public transportation.  I had to skip on a few of the remoter (and hopefully) minor parts of the garden kingdom. 

The first part I visited from Dessau town center, called Georgium, lies right across the street from the Meisterhäuser of Bauhaus fame. This may not be the best part, but it is part of the core zone and home to the ducal painting gallery, a neoclassical building with a remarkable collection. At least the rooms with the old German, Dutch and Flemish paintings are definitely world class (with Bosch and Cranach) and could hang in any museum in Berlin or Paris, even the portraits of the ducal family members of the era are of Leopold and his children of rare vividness. When I went out to the park I walked to the huge ducal mausoleum, also more appropriate for Berlin or Paris, but unfortunately rarely open. From there I walked north past several follies, ponds and belvederes up to the River Elbe. The path leads along a natural marshy forest called Beckenbruch. The human-formed landscape and the wild landscape blend seamlessly and the latter serves as a natural romantic outlook. From the Wallwitzburg tower you have a nice view on the Elbe River and how the park and the more natural landscape are connected. Walking west from there I passed charming sheep herds in the park until I reached the beautiful restaurant Kornhaus, a building from the Bauhaus school. From the rather rough maps on the UNESCO-website it is hard to tell if it is included in the core zone ore not.  For me the attractive modern building with a beautiful view out on the river makes a nice connection between the two WHS of Dessau.

The next day I took the bus to castle Oranienbaum, the oldest of the included palaces. Its baroque plan includes the garden and the baroque town. The latter has a well-preserved layout but is in a rather sad shape. Like in many parts of eastern Germany you can easily see the economic problems. In the building that you can only visit with a tour you find rare original Chinese wallpaper. Even more precious is the well-kept Chinese garden: it includes a pagoda and Chinese-style islands. This style of garden was quite popular all over Europe at the time but hardly any of these gardens are still preserved. I have only seen one other example in England. The much more frequent Japanese gardens are of a rarer period. 

From there I went on to Wörlitz, certainly the artistic heart of the kingdom. The palace can be visited with various tours, and I booked the most popular tour with the representation rooms on the ground floor. Unfortunately, it is forbidden to take pictures but the quality of the rooms is exquisite and can be compared to the most exquisite British mansions of that period and is very clearly inspired by the art of Robert Adams. The park of Wörlitz is packed with impressive follies: the most spectacular is certainly the “recreation” of the Vesuvius: At the time the visit of the Vesuvius was such an important part of the Grand Tour to Italy that the duke decided to recreate it. So, for the first time people who could not afford the Grand Tour could get at least some idea of the power of a volcano something that impresses deeply me each time I visit one. He even made nocturnal shows simulating an eruption of the Vesuvius by using light and steam. I did not get to enjoy this during the days I was in the area but even without it the eruption the “volcano” is an unusual visit. It is full of surprising hallways, views on the parkland and copies of ancient statues in mysterious settings. Rather odd but a bit like a trip into the subconsciousness. Next to the volcano is the small Villa Hamilton, very much in Pompeian style, offering above all the reliefs of exquisite quality clearly imitating the famous Wedgwood ware from England.  Not far from it you can find perhaps the most remarkable of all the bridges in the duchy: A model of the wonderful iron bridge from the English WHS. It is a model but you can cross it. 

The second main folly is the gothic house: It is filled with artworks and vistas of famous cities, probably all stops of the Grand Tour as well. There is also a room where he had his “pomological cabinet”: a collection of wax models of hundreds of kinds of apples: They served as illustrative material for exact classification. Modern apple orchards should beautify the duchy but also create income for the farmers and the duke himself. 

The most visually iconic view of the park may be the monument island for J.-J. Rousseau, at the time a much-revered philosopher. There is also a lovely neogothic church worth a visit, a historic museum in the House of the Duchess, a nice café in the historic buildings of the castle kitchen and a small town center. Together with the extensive park you can easily spend a full day just in this part.

The next day I visited the Luisium, the small private park for his wife with several follies and a deceivingly simple three-story tower: Even more surprisingly spacious and exquisite is the interior: comparable in s style and quality to the before-mentioned Villa Hamilton but grander. 

The last major part is the palace of Mosigkau, a rarely preserved rococo park predating Leopold’s reign but integrated in his garden kingdom. The palace includes some wonderful stucco work, reminding me of the Würzburg residence and an art gallery with some excellent works. 

Not part of the core zone but not miss is the towns history museum. It gives good insight in the modernity of Leopold’s innovations and shows among many models even some of his wax apples. 

I missed the Gross-Kühnau Park NW of Dessau. It includes castle Gross-Kühnau, another neogothic church and the Weinbergschlösschen, but all of them are closed to visitors at least at the time being. Also, the villages of Mildensee and Waldersee are included but offer not much beyond their churches. The mountain park Stieglitzer Berg includes some follies, none open to the public and is hard to reach be bus. If you have a car, they are probably worth a stroll but will hardly add anything essential. The meandering river landscape SE of Dessau, the Untere Mulde, could be a very attractive spot for a longer hike or a bike ride.

This is not I sight for a short visit and to see all the elements, you would need at least two days and a car. If I were to give a recommendation, which parts are the most important or interesting, I would certainly say, start (or better: end) with the Wörlitz area, and include at least a visit to the castle, the volcano and the gothic house, and naturally time for the park. For the castle a reservation may be recommendable. The second-best part for me was the central Georgium with the great art collection and its landscape between English garden and wild nature, including the Bauhaus element of the Kornhaus. Here I would definitely check out if the mausoleum has opening hours. Third would be the Luisium with its tasteful park and interiors, forth Oranienbaum for the Chinese Garden. 

This was my second visit to the garden kingdom, and I am very happy I had the chance to explore within two days not all of its elements but probably all the major spots. It is a wonderful utopia that reveals its charms more and more if you take your time exploring and understanding how the landscape expresses how the duke tried to transform his land into a little paradise, not only for himself but for all his people. This may have been one of the very few moments in human history when a monarchy was the best possible state form.