Oranienbaum, Germany


Oranienbaum is a former town and a former municipality in the district of Wittenberg, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2011, it is a District of the town of Oranienbaum-Wörlitz. It is situated south of the Elbe, east of Dessau.

History

The former settlement of Nischwitz was renamed in 1673 after Countess Henriette Catherine of Nassau, a scion of the House of Orange-Nassau and princess consort of the then ruling Prince John George II of Anhalt-Dessau.
From 1683 on, the Countess had the Oranienbaum Palace erected according to plans by the Dutch architect Cornelis Ryckwaert. The parks are today included within the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

Sights