Many travelers know of King Ludwig's famous new castle Neuschwanstein, born out of the romantic king's medieval fantasies. But the Neo-Baroque Herrenchiemsee Palace, built on an island in the middle of Bavaria's largest lake, the Chiemsee, was the largest palace conceived by King Ludwig II.
The palace, designed to pay homage to King Louis XIV of France and modeled after Versailles, was built between 1863 and 1886, when construction stopped on the occasion of King Ludwig's tragic death. It's still unfinished; over 50 rooms are left incomplete.
Inside the palace you'll find the Ludwig II Museum. The "royal residences" of Neuschwanstein Castle, Linderhof Palace and Herrenchiemsee Palace are represented and you'll learn of Ludwig II's other building projects. A short way from the palace is the Monastery Herrenchiemsee, a former Augustinian monastery built in the 17th century, now a museum.
The island itself is a popular place for walkers and swimmers. There are gardens and waterworks to visit and admire. There is a 7km long walking path around the island.
How to Get to Herrenchiemsee Palace
Since the palace is on an island, you first take the train train to Prien am Chiemsee (around an hour from Munich). From the station there is a special Chiemsee train to the Prien/Stock boat pier which runs during the summer season. The Chiemseebahn is the world's last Steam-Train still running. You can also walk; the pier is about a 30-minute walk from the station. There are restaurants, cafes, and other tourist services at the pier.
Timetables of the Chiemsee train and the Chiemsee boats can be found here: Chiemsee Schifffahrt, look for the British jack and click for a pdf brochure.
By car, take the A8 Salzburg-Munich Autobahn, exiting at Bernau and continuing to Prien am Chiemsee.
Here is a Map showing Herrenchiemsee Palace.
Visitor Information
You can buy a combination ticket for the Palace, the King Ludwig II Museum, and the galleries in the nearby Augustinian Monastery. You can also buy a combination ticket for all three of Ludwig's palaces (The combination ticket is valid for six months; you can visit each of the palaces Linderhof, Herrenchiemsee and Neuschwanstein once.) For more, see Information for Tourists.
Festivals
The International Herrenchiemsee Festival is a classical music festival held in the palace in July.
Pictures
See our virtual tour of the palace: How to Visit Herrenchiemsee Palsce in Style. You'll find recommendations for places to stay and restaurants, as well as detailed visitor information.
Tours of Herrenchiemsee from Munich
If you're in Munich, you can visit the palace as an easy day trip on one of these Viator tours (book direct).
