The royal seat of Celle introduces itself

WELFEN, HALF-TIMBERED HOUSES, CHARM

Celle is one of Lower Saxony’s most important royal seats. For nearly three centuries, it served as the residence of the Dukes of Braunschweig-Lüneburg and the seat of government for the most significant Guelph principality. With Europe’s largest contiguous collection of half-timbered buildings and a variety of museums—ranging from classical to very modern—Celle is certainly the highlight of any trip to the Lüneburg Heath. Celle surprises visitors with additional themes such as Bauhaus architecture and light art, and captivates with its diverse array of shops, restaurants, and lodging options, making it a city where everything is within easy reach for young and old alike.

RESIDENCE MUSEUM AT CELLER CASTLE

Nestled in the idyllic half-timbered town, the palace still bears traces of its past as a medieval seat of power, a Baroque RESIDENCE until 1705, and a summer retreat for the Kings of Hanover in the 19th century. Experience the castle’s history and that of its
inhabitants, presented in a modern setting. The Baroque suite of rooms belonging to the last Duke of Celle, Georg Wilhelm, with its magnificent stucco work, is an architectural highlight. The “King’s Hall” captivates visitors with impressive paintings and a selection of royal treasures.

MOVING STORIES OF WOMEN

Thus, the last duchess, the Huguenot Eléonore d’Olbreuse, is the “progenitor” of several European royal houses. In the 17th century, she brought French esprit to northern Germany, thereby enriching court and city life in Celle. Her daughter Sophie Dorothea met a tragic fate: After her divorce from Elector Georg Ludwig, the future British King George I, she was forced to spend the rest of her life in exile. A similar fate befell the Danish Queen Caroline Mathilde, Sophie Dorothea’s great-granddaughter. The divorced sister of King George III spent the last three years of her life at Celle Palace following the Struensee Affair, where she died in 1775.