Celle’s wedding-cake Schloss was built in 1292 by Otto Der Strenge (Otto the Strict) as a town fortification and in 1378 was expanded and turned into a residence. The last duke to live here was Georg Wilhelm (1624–1705), and the last royal was Queen Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark, who died here in 1775. Today it houses administrative offices and the Palace Museum.
One-hour guided tours depart at 11am, 1pm and 3pm from Tuesday to Friday and Sunday, and hourly from 11am to 3pm on Saturday. These take you into sections of the palace you can’t otherwise visit, such as the Renaissance Schlosskapelle (Palace Chapel), the 19th-century Schlossküche (Palace Kitchen) and – rehearsals permitting – the baroque Schlosstheater (Palace Theatre).
