Gothic house

Gardener's apartment and princely residence

In contrast to classicism, neo-Gothic as the second prominent architectural style in the Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz is a commitment of Prince Franz to his own tradition and history. The culmination of this bond is the Gothic House, which in its time was just as much an architectural avant-garde as Wörlitz Castle.

From the outside, the house shows its visitors two very different sides: the front facing the Wolf Canal is that of a Venetian church, while the garden side follows the English Tudor Gothic. Designed by Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff, the Gothic House was built from 1773 and redesigned several times until 1813. Today, in its versatile shape and irregularity, it is one of the oldest completely preserved neo-Gothic buildings.

In the building you can discover a unique collection of outstanding stained glass windows from the late 15th to the 17th century. Works of Old Masters enrich the program as well as the neo-Gothic furnishings. The Pomological Cabinet contained a collection of Prince Franz with over 200 wax fruits.

The Gothic house was initially intended to serve as an apartment for the court gardener Schoch, but from 1785 the prince increasingly used it himself as a refuge. Unlike in the publicly accessible castle, Franz was able to find himself here “in the midst of his glorious ancestors”. This is how the court official August von Rode described it in 1818. At the same time, the Gothic house was prince Franz’s more or less secret family home: in three small rooms and a “wild marriage” he lived with Luise Schoch (1769–1813), the gardener’s daughter, and their three children.

Gothic house

Visits

In the Gothic House you will see outstanding Swiss glass paintings as well as the original interior from the time of Prince Franz.

Opening hours and prices 2023

18. / 19 March to 30 April
Sat, Sun, holidays 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

1 May to 30 September
Tue-Sun, public holidays 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

1 October to 31 October
Sat, Sun, holidays 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Guided tours outside opening hours are possible by appointment at special conditions.

Individual visits
Price: 6,00 €
reduced: 5,00 €

Guided
tour(11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.)
Duration approx. 1 hour
Price: 9,00 €
reduced: 7,00 €

Discounts:

for groups of 15 people or more
Students up to 25 years, trainees, unemployed, severely disabled (accompanying person free), holders of volunteer cards of the city of Dessau-Roßlau
Children up to 16 years accompanied by an adult free of charge (except gondolas, ferries, holiday program and children’s birthday parties)
Guided tour for school groups € 2.00 per person (max. 3 accompanying persons)
Guided tours for student groups (art history, history, restoration, horticulture, etc. of all universities and universities of applied sciences) € 2.00 per person (max. 1 accompanying person)

Combined tickets

Prince Franz Card
One-time admission to Wörlitz Castle and a visit to the Gothic House
Price: 13,00 €

3-lock card
One-time admission to the castles Oranienbaum, Mosigkau, Luisium and the Gothic House in Wörlitz
Price: 19,00 €

More information

Gothic House Wörlitz
D-06785 Oranienbaum-Wörlitz, Germany
OT Stadt Wörlitz
Phone +49 (0) 3 49 05.3 03 02
gotisches-haus@gartenreich.de