Wiligrad Palace

Wiligrad Palace is idyllically situated north of Schwerin on the steep bank of the Schwerin Lake. It is surrounded by forest and the 2,5 kilometres long Friedrich-Franz hiking trail takes you from Lübsdorf to Wiligrad past marble vases, taper graves and the impressive Friedrich-Franz-Monument.

The Duke Johann Albrecht of Mecklenburg, had the Wiligrad Palace, built after plans by Albrecht Haupt. Groundbreaking took place in the year 1897 and after only two years construction times, the palace was ready in 1898. It is one of Mecklenburg's younger palaces. The name Wiligrad, stems from the Slavic language and means 'Great Castle'.

The palace was in ducal possession until 1945, today, it belongs to the state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The administration of the archaeological state museum and the state office of ground monument conservation. The Kunstverein Wiligrad e.V., also uses some rooms for exhibitions and events.

Part of the palace complex are numerous outbuildings like barn, horse stable, garages for vehicles, a house for poultry, cavaliers' house, ladder house, staff accommodation, bleaching house, machine house, pumping station and palace nursery. The palace nursery has a farm shop and a cafe, ideal to take a little rest.

Around at the time, when the palace was built a landscaped garden was designed. A walk through the garden reveals numerous small architectures and sculptures. A water basin with a Romanesque baptismal font is the central point of the garden. At the eastern steep slope runs a path to the Elisabeth source. From there one has a great view over the Schwerin Lake.