The palace park and museum exhibits make Benrath an interesting destination for travelers interested in nature, palace history and garden art. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing between a stay focused on the park and museums and a broader look at Düsseldorf. Stadtbahn and rail connections, as well as a route on the Düsseldorfer Weg, help you find your way around the area.

The palace park and its changing gardens

Benrath Palace Park covers more than 61 hectares; around 45 hectares are designated as a nature reserve. The park is open all day and can be entered free of charge. Check the latest notices before your visit. This makes it possible to plan the park as a focus of your stay, while its protected status and overall area also illustrate its different dimensions.

The history of the gardens is also part of the local character: from 1807 onward, the English Garden in the palace park was gradually transformed from a Baroque garden into an English-style landscape garden. The transformation thus began in 1807 and took place over time. Those interested in gardens can explore both the original Baroque design and the later English landscape style.

Palace history and museum themes

Benrath Palace was built in 1755 by Elector Karl Theodor as a hunting and garden palace; its architect was Nicolas de Pigage. The Corps de Logis Museum documents the palace’s eventful history and illustrates life there from the 18th through the 20th century. Its historical scope therefore extends beyond the year it was built and covers several centuries.

The Natural History Museum, in the western wing of Benrath Palace, explores the natural environments of the region around Düsseldorf. These include the Rhine floodplains, the Neandertal and the Ohligser Heide. The Museum of Garden Art offers a different focus: it surveys the estimated 2,500-year history of gardens and explores the diversity of European garden art. Together, these provide three distinct themes to consider when planning a trip: regional habitats, palace history and garden art.

Getting there and the route

Stadtbahn line U72 runs to the Schloss Benrath stop. Take the S6, RE1 or RE5 to Benrath S-Bahn station; from there, it is a ten-minute walk to Benrath Palace. As these are current transport connections, it is best to check the timetables before traveling.

Route 6 of the Düsseldorfer Weg offers a longer route option. It runs for 13.8 kilometers from Benrather Betriebshof to Benrather Bonner Straße and includes, among other places, Benrath Palace Park and Benrath Palace. Check the current route before setting out. The stated distance and endpoints can help you distinguish this route from a visit focused on the park or museums.

Düsseldorf as a wider destination

Other themes come to the fore in Düsseldorf as a broader travel destination. The Hofgarten is Düsseldorf’s oldest public park, covers around 27 hectares and features a large expanse of water and numerous sculptures. Carlsplatz is a culinary shopping destination: you can find Düsseldorf home-style cooking as well as Italian, Indian, French and Persian food. Individual offerings may change. Little Tokyo also invites you to discover Japanese culture and cuisine; Düsseldorf’s traditional breweries offer a taste of its brewery culture.

Benrath focuses on the palace and gardens; the other themes mentioned are part of the broader Düsseldorf destination. This distinction can help you decide before searching whether you prefer a trip focused specifically on Benrath or a wider city destination.

Discover more destinations: Garath, Holthausen, Kalkum, Angermund, Wittlaer, Rath, Düsseldorf.

Back to the broader travel overview: Düsseldorf.