Herrenhausen Palace
Palace Baroque palace in Hanover with formal historic gardens
Herrenhausen in Hanover combines a baroque palace with formal gardens, fountains and museums; visitors come for garden tours, seasonal exhibitions and concerts.
Herrenhausen Palace and the Herrenhausen Gardens (Herrenhäuser Gärten) form a major historic palace-and-garden complex in the north-west of Hannover, Lower Saxony. The ensemble is best known for its 17th- and 18th-century baroque Great Garden alongside significant botanical and landscape gardens.
The gardens were developed in the late 17th century as a princely pleasure garden and were expanded and refined over subsequent centuries. The palace suffered extensive damage in World War II; postwar restoration and later reconstruction have returned the site to public and cultural use.
The complex lies northwest of central Hannover, within the city limits and reachable by local public transport; it forms a prominent historic and recreational green space for the city and region.
- Garden complex: The gardens comprise several distinct parts - the baroque Great Garden, the botanical Berggarten and the English-style Georgengarten - all open to visitors at different times of year.
- Palace use: The palace and gardens have been reworked after wartime damage; the palace has served as a museum and cultural venue since its reconstruction.
What to See #
- Großer Garten: Großer Garten (Great Garden) - a formal 17th-century baroque parterre garden laid out around axial paths, fountains and statues.
- Berggarten: Berggarten - a botanical garden with plant collections and greenhouses historically connected to the palace complex and now managed as a scientific garden.
- Georgengarten: Georgengarten - an English-style landscape park to the north of the palace that forms part of the wider Herrenhausen garden ensemble.
How to Get to Herrenhausen Palace #
Herrenhausen Palace (Herrenhäuser Gärten) is northwest of central Hannover and is served by the city’s tram network. Take Hanover Stadtbahn tram lines 4 or 5 to the ‘Herrenhäuser Gärten’ stop (short walk from the gardens and palace). By car it is about 3-5 km from Hannover Hauptbahnhof (10-15 minutes) via Herrenhäuser Straße/B6; there is parking near the gardens.
Tips for Visiting Herrenhausen Palace #
- Time your visit to coincide with a scheduled Wasserspiele (fountain) display in the Great Garden-these historic water shows run on set days in the warmer months and are the highlight for many visitors.
- Enter the gardens through the main Herrenhausen entrance near Herrenhäuser Straße for direct access to the Great Garden; then spend time in the adjacent Berggarten (botanical garden) which is often quieter and hosts special plant exhibitions.
- Allow time for the Berggarten's greenhouse and exhibitions-many visitors focus on the formal Baroque Great Garden and miss the botanical collections and seasonal shows in the Berggarten.
Best Time to Visit Herrenhausen Palace #
Late spring and summer (May-September) are best for seeing the palace gardens in bloom and for outdoor events.
Weather & Climate near Herrenhausen Palace #
Herrenhausen Palace's climate is classified as Oceanic - Oceanic climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -1°C to 24°C. Moderate rainfall (651 mm/year).
January
January is the coolest month with highs of 4°C and lows of -1°C. Moderate rainfall (52 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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February
February is cold with highs of 5°C and lows of -1°C. Moderate rainfall (39 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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March
March is cold with highs of 9°C and lows of 2°C. Moderate rainfall (52 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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April
April is cold with highs of 13°C and lows of 4°C. Moderate rainfall (46 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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May
May is cool with highs of 19°C and lows of 8°C. Moderate rainfall (54 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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June
June is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 11°C. The wettest month with 70 mm of rain and mostly overcast skies.
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July
July is the warmest month with highs of 24°C and lows of 13°C. Moderate rainfall (62 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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August
August is mild with highs of 23°C and lows of 13°C. Moderate rainfall (61 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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September
September is cool with highs of 19°C and lows of 10°C. Moderate rainfall (55 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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October
October is cold with highs of 14°C and lows of 6°C. Moderate rainfall (49 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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November
November is cold with highs of 8°C and lows of 3°C. Moderate rainfall (50 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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December
December is cold with highs of 5°C and lows of 1°C. Moderate rainfall (61 mm) and mostly overcast skies.