Herreninsel

Herreninsel is the largest island in the Chiemsee lake in Bavaria, Germany, and is the site of the royal complex known as Herrenchiemsee. The island is most famous for the lavish New Palace commissioned by King Ludwig II in the late 19th century and modeled on Versailles.

Visitors concentrate on guided tours of the palace interiors, the formal gardens, and the island’s historic buildings. The island also includes older monastic and residential structures predating the 19th-century palace project.

The palace complex was begun in 1878 under Ludwig II and construction continued into the late 19th century; parts of the project remained incomplete at the king’s death. The island’s usage has shifted from royal residence plans to a public museum and cultural site.

Herreninsel lies in the central Chiemsee and is reached by short ferry crossings from lakeshore towns in Bavaria; it is a short distance from the towns of Prien am Chiemsee and Gstadt.

• Access: The island is the largest of the Chiemsee islands and is served by regular ferries from towns on the lake shore such as Prien and Gstadt.
• Visiting: Guided tours of the New Palace are the main visitor activity; visitors should book during peak season as tours can fill.

What to See #

• Herrenchiemsee New Palace: A grand 19th-century palace commissioned by King Ludwig II and modeled after the Palace of Versailles, construction beginning in 1878 though parts remained unfinished.
• Older island buildings: The island's priory and older buildings including a smaller historic palace area that predate Ludwig II's project and are part of the island's heritage.