North of Stuttgart, in the small city of Ludwigsburg, is the vast and lavishly decorated Ludwigsburg Palace, one of Germany's largest and loveliest Baroque palaces. 

In decorating his private apartments here, Duke Carl Eugen of Württemberg spared no expense, commissioning the great fresco painter Matthäus Günther to decorate the walls, and papering even dressing rooms with hand-painted wall coverings.

A highlight is the grand Marble Hall, with magnificent chandeliers and its ceiling fresco of clouds against blue giving the impression of open sky.