Schloss Kirchheim in Schwaben, Renaissance palace in Kirchheim in Schwaben, Germany.
Schloss Kirchheim in Schwaben is a Renaissance palace in the Bavarian village of Kirchheim in Schwaben, made up of several wings arranged around inner courtyards. The front facade, large park, and carefully worked architectural details divide the complex into clearly readable sections.
Hans Fugger commissioned architect Jakob Eschay to build the palace between 1578 and 1585. The design drew on the Spanish royal complex of El Escorial, bringing that architectural language to southern Germany for the first time.
The cedar hall inside the palace has a natural acoustic quality that makes it a favored space for concerts today. Visitors who attend a performance there can hear how the wood and room shape carry sound across the space.
The grounds are open from April through October, with guided tours available in German and English. Arriving earlier in the day gives you more time to walk the garden and move through the different parts of the complex without rushing.
The palace contains its own chapel built directly into the complex, following the model of Spanish monastery buildings from the 16th century. This combination of a private residence and a place of worship under one roof is rare among buildings of this kind in southern Germany.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
