Germany is a country of palaces and castles, of abbeys, parks and gardens. They define our regions, give our cultural landscapes their unmistakable character, and create a sense of home and belonging, of regional rootedness and touristic flair. They offer leisure and regeneration; they are centres of culture and communication; and for the cultural historian they are an indispensable, tangible archive. With this revised and extended new edition of the richly illustrated volume Idyllic Splendour of 2017, we invite you to dip into the endless variety of stately homes and parks between Lake Constance and the Baltic Sea. With more than 15,000 castles, mansions and palaces to choose from, the selection presented here is necessarily incomplete. But each example is an ambassador for the many other jewels numbered among Germany's great houses and estates. From celestially inspired Gothic to proud Renaissance, from exultant Baroque to gardens of earthly paradise, this book presents a journey of discovery through epochs, styles, and thematic worlds. It is a journey to enjoy, and one that may well inspire you to personally explore one or other of these worlds the choice is overwhelming. An opulently illustrated introduction to the immense variety of stately homes and parks in Germany between Lake Constance and the Baltic Sea. A journey of discovery through almost 100 castles and abbeys, palaces and mansions, parks and gardens, many of them UNESCO World Heritage Sites.