The grounds of Rundāle Palace amount to 85 hectares including the French Baroque Garden which covers 10 hectares. Based on a layout by Francesco Rastrelli from 1735/1736, the garden was created by Christopher and Michael Weyland between 1736 and 1740. The garden borders a former hunting park to the south, whereas the area on the north side is used for agriculture.
The renovation began in 1972 when the Rundāle Palace Museum was established. At that time, the Baroque garden was overgrown, the carved trees had grown tall and thin, and there was a school sports ground instead of the parterre. The renovation was implemented in several stages and with substantial support by volunteers: trimming of overgrown trees, restoration of paths, replanting of trees and bushes, restoration of bosquets surrounded by hedges, installation of arbour passages or pergolas, reconstruction of ornamental parterres, pools and fountains, restoration of the Gardener’s House. Rastrelli’s design did not give a specific bosquet filling, but it shows pavilions that were never built. Therefore, samples of baroque gardens were considered in the creation of the bosquet fillings.
In 2004, the Green Theatre was opened. In 2005, the rose garden on both sides of the ornamental parterre was commenced. It contains 2,230 rose varieties, including 600 historical varieties. The restoration of fruit tree orchards commenced in 2018. Lists of plants used in the garden of Rundāle Palace and thematic exhibitions are shown in the Gardener’s House.
For further information about the park, including opening times, events, guided tours etc. visit the official website:
Rundāle Palace – The Baroque pearl in an intact rural landscape (rundale.net)
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