Herrenchiemsee Palace
Palace on Chiemsee island built after Versailles.
On an island in Chiemsee, Herrenchiemsee palace reflects King Ludwig II's Versailles-inspired ambitions; tourists take the short boat ride to tour state rooms, formal gardens and lakeside views.
Herrenchiemsee at a Glance#
Address: Herreninsel, Chiemsee (access by ferry from Prien/Fraueninsel), Bavaria, Germany
Website: https://www.schloesser.bayern.de/englisch/palace/objects/herrenchiemsee.htm
Hours: Seasonal hours (palace opening times vary by season) - check official site before visiting
Admission: New Palace adult ticket approx. €9-€10 (reduced rates available). Boat/ferry to Herreninsel sold separately.
About Herrenchiemsee#
Herrenchiemsee is a royal palace complex on the island of Herreninsel in the Chiemsee lake in Bavaria, Germany, commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the late 19th century. It was conceived as an opulent palace in the model of the Palace of Versailles and contains richly decorated state rooms.
Primary attractions include the late 19th-century New Palace with formal state apartments and a Hall of Mirrors modelled on Versailles, plus surrounding formal gardens and parkland. The palace was never completed to its original plan; construction was halted after the king’s death and several planned elements remain unfinished.
The site sits on Herreninsel, the largest island in Chiemsee, and is reached by short passenger ferries from lakeshore towns such as Prien am Chiemsee. The island and palace are a notable cultural and historic destination in southeastern Bavaria.
- Royal commission: Commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria and intended as a Bavarian counterpart to Versailles; construction began in the late 19th century and remained unfinished after the king’s death.
- Access: Accessible by regular boat services from towns on the Chiemsee shore, with combined palace and island visitor routes available.
What to See#
- New Palace (Herrenchiemsee): The main palace complex begun by King Ludwig II as a homage to the Palace of Versailles, with richly decorated state rooms and a replica-style Hall of Mirrors.
- Herreninsel: The island of Herreninsel in the Chiemsee lake, which hosts the palace complex and formal gardens designed during the palace construction.
How to Get to Herrenchiemsee#
Herrenchiemsee palace stands on Herreninsel in the Chiemsee lake (Bavaria). From Munich drive about 70-90 km southeast (roughly 1-1.5 hours depending on route) to Prien am Chiemsee or Gstadt am Chiemsee; from Prien you can also take regional trains from Munich to Prien (around 1 hour). From the Prien/Gstadt boat harbours take the Chiemsee passenger ferries to Herreninsel - the ferry ride is short and the landing is directly at the island.
Tips for Visiting Herrenchiemsee#
- Take one of the earliest ferries from Prien am Chiemsee to Herrenchiemsee to avoid the midday cruise-ship crowds and to have calmer photo conditions on the island.
- Buy combined ferry-plus-palace tickets or reserve palace tour times in advance during peak season: guided palace tours are timed and the palace interior can be very busy.
- Allow time to explore both the palace's formal gardens and the island's other attractions (including the smaller Fraueninsel on the same lake) rather than rushing back on the first available boat.
Best Time to Visit Herrenchiemsee#
Best in late spring through early autumn (May-September) when boat services and visitor facilities are fully running and the weather is mild.
Weather & Climate near Herrenchiemsee#
Herrenchiemsee's climate is classified as Warm-Summer Continental - Warm-Summer Continental climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -3°C to 22°C. Abundant rainfall (1172 mm/year), wettest in June.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor | -3° - 3° | -3° | 68 mm | overcast | 90% | 2.2 m/s | 0.1 low | 8.8h |
| February | Poor | -3° - 4° | -2° | 65 mm | overcast | 88% | 2.2 m/s | 0.3 low | 10.1h |
| March | Poor | 0° - 8° | 2° | 80 mm | overcast | 83% | 2.4 m/s | 0.6 moderate | 11.8h |
| April | Acceptable | 3° - 12° | 6° | 89 mm | overcast | 78% | 2.5 m/s | 0.9 moderate | 13.5h |
| May | Acceptable | 8° - 18° | 13° | 102 mm | overcast | 79% | 2.4 m/s | 1.2 high | 14.9h |
| June | Acceptable | 11° - 20° | 16° | 149 mm | overcast | 78% | 2.2 m/s | 1.5 very high | 15.7h |
| July | Very Good | 13° - 23° | 18° | 148 mm | partly cloudy | 77% | 2.2 m/s | 1.6 very high | 15.3h |
| August | Very Good | 13° - 22° | 18° | 137 mm | partly cloudy | 78% | 2.1 m/s | 1.3 high | 14.1h |
| September | Good | 9° - 18° | 14° | 94 mm | partly cloudy | 82% | 2.0 m/s | 0.8 moderate | 12.4h |
| October | Acceptable | 5° - 13° | 8° | 72 mm | partly cloudy | 86% | 2.1 m/s | 0.5 low | 10.7h |
| November | Poor | 0° - 7° | 2° | 88 mm | overcast | 90% | 2.1 m/s | 0.2 low | 9.2h |
| December | Poor | -2° - 4° | -1° | 80 mm | overcast | 90% | 2.1 m/s | 0.1 low | 8.3h |
