I tend to forget the difference between a castle and a palace. Even though I’ve heard of electors, I’ve never understood their roles in the Holy Roman Empire. And no matter how many times I hear “baroque architecture”, the meaning is always lost on me.

But here I was in Dusseldorf. Having researched the things to do… I wound up in Schloss Benrath.

The German word “schloss” translated to English is a palace. Benrath is a town in Dusseldorf. And I am 0.01% more cultured than yesterday.

Basic information

The ticket costs 14 Euros. The price includes access to three museums – Museum Corps de Logis, Natural History Museum, and Museum for European Garden Art. I consider the package a bargain considering the diversity and quality of the exhibitions.

Even if I felt stingy, I would still pay the place a visit. Access to the park and the landscaped gardens is free of charge. That is 150 acres of land where people can walk, run, bike, go on dates, bring a dog, eat, meditate, and socialise.

The complex is easily accessible by public transport and took me less than 30 minutes from the city centre. I prefer walking but that isn’t an option.

What is Schloss Benrath?

Schloss Benrath is a historical palace located in Dusseldorf. This served no defensive purpose. Instead, it was a luxurious residence intended for the summer season so that the elite had a hunting lodge. And yes, that might sound extravagant. But we still live in a world where the privileged possess similar properties.

Schloss Benrath was built for Elector Palatine Charles Theodor and his wife, Countess Palatine Elizabeth Auguste of Sulzbac. As the Elector Palatine (and subsequently Elector of Bavaria), Charles Theodor governed a key territory within the Holy Roman Empire. I guess this was one of the perks!

The palace is a fine example of Baroque architecture. It consists of the main building (Corps de Logis) with two smaller wings that are symmetrical and are elaborately decorated. The rooms are lavish with colourful frescoes and expensive furnishings.

This is personally not my style. I don’t have any…

While this is giving a budget version of Versailles, including or maybe especially the gardens, I’d still bet that most people on Earth can ever afford anything close to this.

What about the other museums?

The Museum for European Garden Art focuses on the history of garden design. This isn’t my cup of tea. I didn’t become a plant dad during the pandemic. And majority of the exhibitions are in German and I was too lazy to do Google Translate.

But a suitable alternative for someone who enjoys being out in nature is the garden, which I feel is a better experience. And maybe because I don’t enjoy reading if I have the option of seeing it first hand.

Surprisingly, I was sold on the Natural History Museum. During my visit, the exhibition’s focus was on the migration of animals, especially to Germany. Some of these movements were due to climate change and others due to human intervention or action. Well… climate change is manmade. So maybe everything ties back to our doing.

Obviously, not all of these changes resulted in good things for our animal brothers and sisters. And not all are as bad as the doomsday scenario the media portrays them to be. And I guess that’s the grey line we forget to see as we get more colour blind and trapped in our bubble.

The highlight

Despite the fact that I invested money in the ticket, I find the garden that happens to be free as my favourite. This was the perfect balance between admiring man-made structures and being one with nature.

The order and symmetry of how plants are designed and organised can feel rigid. But having plants as subjects made the experience calming. They bring soul to an otherwise dull and plain construction.

The flower beds were beautiful to look at. The vast space and the towering trees reminded me of how small I am in relation to the grandness of life.

Conclusion

I would visit again. Maybe not for the exhibitions but to go around the park which I couldn’t comprehensively explore.

I spent my afternoon here. I could have easily spent my entire day.

There was a lot to see. And while this maybe the most popular attraction in Dusseldorf, not a lot of people were seeing it.