It was built in 1724 by Prince Ludwig, the heir of the Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and substantially extended in 1772-1776, when it became for a certain period the centre of the government. Prince Ludwig enjoyed the place, hence the name 'Ludwigslust' ('Ludwig's joy').

After the WWI, when also the Mecklenburg-Schwerin dukes were deposed, the family stayed to life there until 1945.

The palace is surrounded by a 120 ha park, created originally by the French architect Le Geay and later his assistant Johann Joachim Busch. Today it still has some important features of that period, such as the neoclassical stone bridge designed by Busch, a cascade, a grotto, a chapel, a mausoleum...

The partly restored interior contains beautiful furniture, objets d'art, paintings...

For more detailed information, see website