Where Ludwigslust lies today was once the Klenow estate, which was mentioned for the first time in 1399. In the year 1616 the Duke of Mecklenburg acquired the estate. Shortly after, the Thirty Years' War devastated the region. About one century later, Duke Christian Ludwig II had a little hunting lodge built there. In his honour, it was called "Ludwigs Lust" in 1754. From 1756 on, his son Friedrich moved the ducal residence step by step to Ludwigslust. During the following years not only the castle was enlarged, but the appearance of the whole town also changed considerably.
When the Grand Duke Paul Friedrich transferred his residence to Schwerin in 1837, the booming development of Ludwigslust slowed down. Nevertheless it kept growing and received the status of a town in 1876. After his abdication the Grand Duke lived in the castle of Ludwigslust together with his family until 1945.
The Second World War spared the town; hence since German Unification the old town has been undergoing redevelopment. Ludwigslust is the administrative centre of the district bearing the same name.
Ludwigslust - Information
Schloßstr. 36
19288 Ludwigslust
phone: 03874-526251, -252
fax: 03874-526109
e-mail: info@stadtludwigslust.de
Internet: www.stadtludwigslust.de