Herrnsheim Palace and Gardens
The palace gardens in Herrnsheim, a part of Worms, cover an area of 10.5 hectares and are the most important English landscape gardens in Rhineland Palatinate. The history of what was once a castle and later became the palace of the von Dalberg family goes back to 1460. The palace was destroyed in 1689 during the Palatinate War of Succession (the Nine Years’ War) and rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1714 with Baroque gardens.
Herrnsheim Palace is in the northern part of Herrnsheim and has its origins in a castle built in 1460. It was rebuilt as a Baroque palace from 1711 on, but this was however badly damaged in 1792. The ruins were reconstructed as a Baroque palace and in the Empire style to plans by Friedrich Dyckerhoff, an architect from Mannheim. Further modifications were made in 1840. One of the most significant palaces in the Empire style in Rhineland Palatinate, it is popular for outings by families, by grandparents with their grandchildren, and with those visiting Worms who are interested in cultural history.
Meadows, woods and ponds
As owner of the palace, Wolfgang Heribert von Dalberg commissioned the famous landscape gardener Friedrich Ludwig Skell to redesign the palace gardens around 1790. He created an English landscape garden with grassland, woodlands, ponds and an island.
The von Dalbergs, territorial rulers who held high positions at the Palatine Court in Mannheim, were of more than local political importance. In 1883, the last descendant sold the palace to the von Heyl family, industrialists from Worms, who themselves sold it to the City of Worms in 1957/58. It is now used for representative purposes.
Orangery & Library Tower
The palace’s outbuildings date from the 18th century and the orangery from the early 19th century. It has been converted into a café. The interior furnishings of the palace are of special note. Those on ground floor have to a large extent been preserved and they feature wall and ceiling paintings. Noteworthy are the examples of rarely seen French wallpaper from the first half of the 19th century with a panorama of Paris and a Bosporus scene (first floor). The library tower is a further highlight.
Guided castle tours
The Tourist Info Worms offers individual and group tours in German of Herrnsheim Castle and its park. Due to the extensive renovation work, interior tours are not possible.
Public guided tours from April to October always on the 3rd Sunday of the month, 10.30 am (only in German). Meeting point: entrance to Herrnsheim Palace.
Do you have any questions?
The team at the Tourist Information will be pleased to help:
Tourist Information
Neumarkt 14
67547 Worms
Phone: +49 (0) 6241 853-7306
More information
Address & location
Herrnsheimer Hauptstraße 1
67550 Worms-Herrnsheim
Google Maps
Please note that there are no parking facilities at the palace. Please park at the cemetery
am Friedhof (Emmerich-Joseph-Straße). The route from here is signposted and the palace is only two minutes away on foot.
