Schwetzingen is famous for two things: its asparagus and its Schloss.  Other towns, like nearby Bruchsal, may boast of being #1 in asparagus production but Schwetzingen certainly has the bigger asparagus festival, held every May.  The artwork shown here is in the plaza directly from Schwetzingen’s Schloss. It features a hardworking asparagus lady sorting and preparing the wonderful “spargel” or white asparagus that this region, north of Stuttgart, is famous for.

Once you’ve had your fill of asparagus, it’s time to visit the Schloss, former summer home of the Carl Theodore, one of the Prince Electors of the Holy Roman Empire, who lived here in the late 1700’s.

The Schloss itself isn’t all that impressive by the standards of that time.  It’s more of a “hunting lodge” than palace.  But the gardens and surrounding grounds are incredible.  I visited on a January morning so the gardens weren’t in their full glory.  But the lakes and structures, even in winter, were beautiful.

One of the quirky structures on the grounds is a decorative mosque, built in the “Turkish style” that was popular at the time this was built, 1779-1791.

Statue of Three Kings in downtown Schwetzingen