Staatspark Furstenlager

This site is an English garden spread across gentle hills near the town center of Bensheim, with winding footpaths connecting groves, open meadows, and neoclassical pavilions. The layout blends lawn areas with wooded sections where fountains, viewpoints, and smaller buildings appear along the trails.

The grounds were laid out around 1790 as a warm-season retreat for the grand dukes of Hesse-Darmstadt, who commissioned several residential buildings, guesthouses, and service structures. Design additions continued through the 19th century while ownership remained with the Hessian ducal family well into the 20th century.

The name recalls the summer camps where Hessian landgraves stayed during warm months, escaping courtly routine. Today guests walk among pavilions that still display their original façades while enjoying shade beneath mature trees planted over two centuries ago.

The main entrance sits on Bachgasse street where parking spaces are found, and the grounds can be explored via paved main routes as well as narrower trails. In wet weather some stretches become slippery, so sturdy footwear helps when walking through wooded areas.

Several exotic tree species imported in the late 18th century from distant regions still grow here, reflecting European courtly interest in collecting botanical rarities. The pairing of garden design with preserved residential structures shows how closely landscape planning and noble daily life were woven together at that time.

Location: Bensheim

Website: https://schloesser-hessen.de/fuerstenlager

GPS coordinates: 49.70020,8.63345

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:31