Baroque Garden @museum.de

M: Access to our Baroque garden is reserved for guests at the Orangery, which lies at the far end of the garden. That building, once devoted to storing and growing oranges, lemons and pineapples, now serves as a wedding venue. The castle’s first orangery was built in 1756. By 1853, the structure was derelict, and Prince Ernst the First had it rebuilt. After being restored in 2005, the Orangery now hosts events. But the garden is open to visitors once a year – on the first weekend in September, when the castle celebrates its Garden Festival – the Fürstliche Gartentage.

F: Many of the Hohenlohe counts and princes set their hand to the Baroque garden. Count Philipp Ernst had it laid out in the early 17th century as a pleasure garden with two terraces. In the mid-18th century, under Prince Ludwig, it was transformed into a Baroque garden. That was when the rose arches were created. The first fountain was built in 1776; the current one dates to around 1900.

M: Some time between the middle and end of the 19th century, Prince Herrmann invited the court gardener Matthäus Lebl to Langenburg from Schönbrunn Palace near Vienna. Lebl decorated the garden with rose pergolas and ornamental greenhouses. Prince Kraft had more restoration work carried out in 1993 and ‘94. Today, Princess Saskia is the one who ensures that the garden thrives and blooms.

F: The plants flower in shades of red and white – the Hohenlohe family colours. Their flag has red and white bands. If you look towards the castle, you’ll see it high up on the roof, fluttering in the breeze. In the past, the flag was flown to show that the princely family was in residence, and it was taken down if they weren’t. These days, it signals that Langenburg is their main residence. The magnificent family banner with the coat of arms is only raised on special occasions – for birthdays or christenings, for example.

M: This baroque terrace is the only one of its kind in Baden-Württemberg. And now please head to the Marstall, the old Stables, immediately opposite. That’s your next stop.