Fantaisie Castle, too, forms part of Wilhelmine’s legacy, albeit second-hand: it was built by Wilhelmine’s daughter, Duchess Elisabeth Friederike Sophie. Following the breakdown of her marriage to the Duke of Württemberg, she returned to Bayreuth and, from 1761 onwards, built herself a private retreat in Donndorf near Eckersdorf, entirely in the spirit of the margrave’s garden art that her mother had established in Bayreuth.
🌳 Three eras in one park
What makes the Fantaisie so special is that the park brings together three stylistic eras of garden design – whimsical Rococo, sentimental landscape design and 19th-century historicist features, which were gradually incorporated into the garden. Because no era has erased the one that came before it, a stroll through the park allows you to literally walk through the history of garden design.
🏛️ Museum of Garden Art
In 2000, the Bavarian Palace Administration opened Germany’s first Museum of Garden Art in the palace. It tells the story of garden art from the 17th to the 19th century, with a focus on southern Germany and Franconia – and makes the park outside all the more accessible to understand afterwards.
🕒 Visiting
The park is freely accessible and open all year round. The museum in the castle follows the opening hours of the Bavarian Palace Administration; it is closed in winter. You should allow two to three hours for the park and museum combined.
🚗 How to get there
The castle and park are situated in Donndorf (in the municipality of Eckersdorf), a few kilometres west of Bayreuth on the B22. There are car parks at the entrance, and there is also a bus service from Bayreuth.