The Palace Park in Celle

A Haven of Peace and Pleasure for All the Senses

Barely a stone’s throw from the Historical Old Town is Celle Palace, with its exquisitely beautiful Park. Set in almost 6 ½ hectares, the Guelph Palace is enthroned on a small island, surrounded by large, old trees and a moat. The Palace Park is a public park, so it is freely accessible around the clock, making it a very popular meeting place for locals and tourists alike. Visitors are astonished by the unusual and exotic diversity of tree species and while strolling through the park, are greeting by the animal residents, from nutrias to the Palace geese who have come to live in the Celle Palace grounds.

The Palace Grounds

and its History

The history of the Palace Park begins in the late 18th century, because until then, the fortifications of the earlier castle had remained untouched.

Demolition on the western bastions began in 1785 and continued until 1827. Most of the material was filled into the originally, very wide moat. This newly created area between the castle and the moat, which was subsequently reduced to an average width of approx. 6.7m, was planted with trees and used as a promenade along a poplar avenue now running around it.

Celle Palace surrounded by the moat — © René Stang // www.RS-Fototrainer.de

When it was decided in 1839 to renovate Celle Palace for the Hanoverian Royal Family, the areas beyond the moat were taken back from the lease or purchased.

The expansion was completed between 1847 to 1866, under the direction Schaumberg, a respected garden inspector from Hanover. The areas in front of the Higher Appeal Court, today's Higher Regional Court, were also integrated into the Park.

In 1868 the Palace complex came under the administration and technical supervision of the Royal Prussian Court Garden Directorate in Potsdam. In principle, the main features of the Palace and its grounds have been preserved to this day. In 1899, in the western part of the park, plots were allocated for building development.

In 1922 a memorial for those who fell in World War I was erected on the central lawn in front of the east side of the Palace, which was converted into the town park in 1999. In 1936 a strip of land was lost due to the necessary widening of Mühlenstrasse in the north.

Exotic Trees

A Botantical Tour through the Seasons

The Celle Palace Park offers something for the eye all year round: when the first flowers bloom in spring and soft green shoots appear on the trees, or in summer the large, old trees provide shade; in autumn everything glows with vivid colour and even winter conjures up a sparkle with the first frost in the Palace Park.

Friends of exotic trees and anyone looking for an extensive variety of tree species will find great satisfaction in the Palace Park. The European white elm, bald cypress and the handkerchief tree are all at home here. The bald cypress, with its thick aerial roots, is 3.20m in circumference. In spring, the handkerchief tree bears the flowers from which it takes its name and which look just like white paper handkerchiefs. The sugar maple, a primeval sequoia and a sweetgum tree also find their place in the Palace Park, as well as a paper birch and a ‘Götterbaum‘ – the tree of heaven.

A total of over 50 unusual tree species invite you to take a botanically remarkable tour. Small signs identify the trees, providing visitors with the corresponding information.

Circular route through Celle Palace Park

Colourful autumn leaves on the path in the Palace Park

Scents, the Play of Colours, Poisons

Gardens and parks are places of calm which can be enjoyed with all the senses. In addition to the Palace Park, visitors are enchanted by the nearby French Garden, the Bee Garden, the Orchid centre and especially the Healing Herbs Garden, with its aromatic and scented beds.

Wohlklang the Stallion

in the Freedom Dressage

On a walk through the Celle Palace Park, you will meet the probably most famous of all the Celle stallions and a very popular photo opportunity: Wohlklang, the stallion.

The story of the most famous of all the Celle stallions begins when, as a three-year-old, Wohlklang arrived at the stallion testing institute in Westercelle in 1965. Wohlklang could stand on two legs, could be ridden with ease and passed all tests with flying colours. Wohlklang was considered to be one of the best stallions of the Celle State Stud, which even took him to London. There, too, he delighted audiences and especially the Queen, who invited him to Windsor for a private performance.

HToday a bronze sculpture, "Stallion Wohlklang in Freedom Dressage", stands against the backdrop of the Celle Palace as a memorial to this famous Celle stallion.

To mark the 250th anniversary of the Celle State Stud, the sculpture was ceremoniously unveiled there on the Parade Ground, in 1985 and afterwards, displayed here in the Palace Park. The sculpture was donated by the Celle Stadtsparkasse bank on the occasion of its 150th anniversary. The sculpture was designed by Ulrich Conrad from Worpswede.

Events in the Palace Park

The beautiful backdrop of the Palace Park is also an integral feature of Celle’s cultural offerings. The large round lawn in front of the Palace is used as an event area all year round. Among other events, the popular Palace Festival and the vintage cars event, Oldtimer + Fachwerk take place here. The atmosphere of the Palace Park also adds the finishing touches to the Celle Town Festival and other concerts and events, especially at Christmas time, when the Celle’s winter magic transforms the ‘Schlossplatz‘ area into a winter fairy tale.