Germany: Schloss Ludwigslust
Ludwigslust Palace or Schloss is often referred to as Versailles of the North. It was built by prince Ludwig, the son of the Duke of Mecklenburg in 1742 as a hunting retreat on a vast wooded estate (basically like a relative of a corrupt oligarch these days). The estate has a central palace surrounded by landscaped gardens and fountains. While it most certainly ain’t Versailles, it’s a kitschy version of it with gilded rooms and mirrored walls and paintings of lions and tigers hanging everywhere. 18th century life of luxury on the cold Baltic Sea coast!
