Palace, asparagus, and a summer residence.
Your English guide to Schwetzingen: from the baroque palace gardens with their mosque and Temple of Apollo, through the famous asparagus season, to festivals, hotels, and quiet corners of the Palatinate - right between Heidelberg and Mannheim.
Three ways into the residence town
Whether you want to stroll through the palace gardens, get your bearings neighborhood by neighborhood, or simply book the right place to stay - start here.
Palace & Gardens
The baroque summer residence, the circular parterre with the Arion fountain, and the celebrated palace gardens.
Explore the sights →Neighborhoods
From the baroque Old Town and the palace square to the quieter residential areas and the surrounding towns.
Explore the city →Hotels & stays
From a city hotel on the palace square to the Old Town and places to stay near the Hockenheim racetrack.
Find hotels & prices →What to see in Schwetzingen
Schwetzingen Palace
The baroque summer residence of the Electors Palatine, expanded from 1752 under Elector Carl Theodor - the Palatinate's own little Versailles.
The Palace Gardens
A French baroque garden and an English landscape park in one - one of the most important historic gardens in Europe.
The Garden Mosque
The only surviving garden mosque of its kind in Europe, built by Nicolas de Pigage between 1779 and 1795 - a monument of the Enlightenment.
Temple of Apollo
An open circular temple set on an artificial rock - a stage and focal point in the English landscape garden.
The Rococo Theater
Opened in 1753, one of the oldest surviving tiered theaters in Europe. The seven-year-old Mozart performed here at court in 1763.
The Bath House
Carl Theodor's private retreat (from 1773) with its famous painted illusion of the End of the World - an intimate hideaway in the gardens.
Hotels & places to stay in Schwetzingen
Whether it's a festival weekend, an asparagus-season getaway, or a business trip to the region, you'll find the right place to stay here - with live prices on the map.
Around the palace square
Walking distance to the palace and gardens - ideal for festivals and cultural trips.
In the Old Town
Central among the market square, cafés, and pedestrian streets - in the heart of Schwetzingen.
Near Hockenheim & the racetrack
Handy for Hockenheimring events and trade fairs in Mannheim.
Hotel map
Hotels & stays on the map
Compare availability and prices directly on the map - from a city hotel on the palace square to a place to stay near Hockenheim.
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A little Versailles in the Palatinate
From 1752, Elector Carl Theodor had court architect Nicolas de Pigage turn Schwetzingen into a grand summer residence. The palace, its curved arcade wings, and the rococo theater still form a unique baroque ensemble.
The town sits in the Rhine-Neckar district of Baden-Württemberg, about ten kilometers (six miles) west of Heidelberg and a similar distance south of Mannheim - easy to reach for a day trip or a longer stay.