Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia
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1. Hartenfels Castle
A masterpiece of Renaissance architecture, Castle Hartenfels was constructed as a residential palace in the late 15th and early 16th centuries by the Ernestine line of nobles who ruled the Electorate of Saxony. The castle and its occupants played a central role in the support and dissemination of Martin Luther 's ideas, and therefore a pivotal role in the Protestant Reformation. Up the castle's impressive stone stairway, unsupported by any central structure, you'll find the oldest statue of Martin Luther, who designed the castle's church himself to convey his idea of bringing the word of God to the common people via a central alter meant to evoke Christ's last supper among his disciples. Nine sketches decorating the pulpit were created by Lucas Cranach the Elder (a tenth is missing). The church is also the birthplace of Protestant church music by the composer Johann Kenntmann, the originator of the genre. Concerts of his music are performed here weekly. A permanent exhibition in the castle's Albrecht wing traces Torgau's history.
Schlossstrasse 27, Torgau, Saxony, 04860, Germany03421–701–40Sight Details
Rate Includes: Exhibition €10, Exhibition Tues.–Sun. 10–6 -
2. Wartburg Castle
Begun in 1067 (and expanded through the centuries), this mighty castle has hosted a parade of German celebrities. Hermann I (1156–1217), count of Thuringia and count palatine of Saxony, was a patron of the wandering poets Walther von der Vogelweide (1170–1230) and Wolfram von Eschenbach (1170–1220). Legend has it that this is where Walther von der Vogelweide, the greatest lyric poet of medieval Germany, prevailed in the celebrated Minnesängerstreit (minnesinger contest), which is featured in Richard Wagner's Tannhäuser. Within the castle's stout walls, Frederick the Wise (1463–1525) shielded Martin Luther from papal proscription from May 1521 until March 1522, even though Frederick did not share the reformer's beliefs. Luther completed the first translation of the New Testament from Greek into German while in hiding, an act that paved the way for the Protestant Reformation. You can peek into the simple study in which Luther worked. Be sure to check out the place where Luther supposedly saw the devil and threw an inkwell at him. Pilgrims have picked away at the spot for centuries, forcing the curators to "reapply" the ink. Frederick was also a patron of the arts. Lucas Cranach the Elder's portraits of Luther and his wife are on view in the castle, as is a very moving sculpture, the Leuchterengelpaar (Candlestick Angel Group), by the great 15th-century artist Tilman Riemenschneider. The 13th-century great hall is breathtaking; it's here that the minstrels sang for courtly favors. Don't leave without climbing the belvedere for a panoramic view of the Harz Mountains and the Thuringian Forest. You can wander the grounds of the Wartburg for free, but the only way into the interior of the castle is to take a guided tour. The English tour takes place every day at 1:30.
Auf der Wartburg 1- 03691 - 2500Sight Details
Rate Includes: €12, includes guided tour -
3. Albrechtsburg
The story of Meissen porcelain actually began high above Old Meissen. Towering over the Elbe River, this 15th-century castle is Germany's first truly residential one, a complete break with the earlier style of fortified bastions. In the central Schutzhof, a typical Gothic courtyard protected on three sides by high rough-stone walls, is an exterior spiral staircase, the Wendelstein, a masterpiece of early masonry hewn in 1525 from a single massive stone block. The ceilings of the castle halls are richly decorated, although many date only from a restoration in 1870. Adjacent to the castle is an early Gothic cathedral. It's a bit of a climb up Burgstrasse and Amtsstrasse to the castle, but a bus runs regularly up the hill from the Marktplatz.
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4. Historisches Grünes Gewölbe
Castle/PalaceThis section of the castle most reflects Augustus the Strong's obsession with art as a symbol of power. The intricately restored baroque interior is an integral part of the presentation, highlighting the objects in the collection. The last section of the museum houses the Jewel Room, which displays the ceremonial crown jewels of Augustus the Strong and his son. Access to the Historic Green Vault is limited to 100 visitors per hour and is by appointment only, reserved by phone or online.
Taschenberg 2, Dresden, Saxony, Germany0351-4919–2285-for toursSight Details
Rate Includes: €12, By appointment -
5. Residenzschloss
The Renaissance facade this baroque building hides the former royal palace, much of which was built between 1709 and 1722. Some of the finished rooms in the Georgenbau (Count George Wing) hold historical exhibits, among them an excellent one on the reconstruction of the palace itself. The palace's main gateway, the Georgentor, has an enormous statue of the fully armed Saxon count George. From April through October, the palace's old Hausmannsturm (Hausmann Tower) offers a wonderful view of the city and the Elbe River. The main attraction in the Royal Palace, though, is the world-famous Grünes Gewölbe (Green Vault). Named after a green room in the palace of Augustus the Strong, the collection is divided into two sections. The section of the castle most reflects Augustus the Strong's obsession with art as a symbol of power is the Historisches Grünes Gewölbe. The intricately restored baroque interior is an integral part of the presentation, highlighting the objects in the collection. The last section of the museum houses the Jewel Room, which displays the ceremonial crown jewels of Augustus the Strong and his son. Access to the Historic Green Vault is limited to 100 visitors per hour and is by appointment only, reserved in person, by phone, or online. Due to a daring robbery in 2019, where 37 objects that could be worth over $1 billion were taken (and have not been recovered), expect heightened security. The second part of the Green Vault, called the Neues Grünes Gewölbe, contains an exquisite collection of objets d'art fashioned from gold, silver, ivory, amber, and other precious and semiprecious materials. Among the crown jewels are the world's largest "green" diamond, 41 carats in weight, and a dazzling group of tiny gem-studded figures called Hofstaat zu Delhi am Geburtstag des Grossmoguls Aureng-Zeb (the Court at Delhi during the Birthday of the Great Mogul Aureng-Zeb). The unwieldy name gives a false idea of the size of the work, dating from 1708; some parts of the tableau are so small they can be admired only through a magnifying glass. Somewhat larger and less delicate is the drinking bowl of Ivan the Terrible, perhaps the most sensational artifact in this extraordinary museum. The palace also houses the Münzkabinett (Coin Museum) and the Kupferstichkabinett (Museum of Prints and Drawings), with more than 500,000 pieces of art spanning several centuries. Changing exhibits at the Kupferstichkabinett have presented masterworks by Albrecht Dürer, Peter Paul Rubens, and Jan van Eyck; 20th-century art by Otto Dix, Edvard Munch, and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner; East European art; and some Southeast Asian prints. The Türckische Cammer (Turkish Chamber) comprises a huge number of Ottoman artifacts collected by Saxon dukes over centuries. It's worth going just to see the Ottoman War Tent, the only gilded leather tent of its type in Europe.
Schlosspl.- 0351 - 491–4619Sight Details
Rate Includes: All museums and collections except Historic Green Vault €14; Historic Green Vault €14; combination ticket €21, Closed Tues. -
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6. Schloss Neuenburg
Since its foundation was laid in 1090 by the Thuringian Ludwig I, this castle has loomed protectively over Freyburg. The spacious residential area and huge towers date from the 13th century, when Neuenburg was a part of Thuringia's eastern defenses. The spartan Gothic double-vaulted chapel from 1190 is one of the few rooms that evoke an early medieval past, since most of the castle was renovated in the 15th century.
Schloss 1, Freyburg, Saxony-Anhalt, D–06632, Germany34464-35530Sight Details
Rate Includes: €6, Closed Mon. Nov.–Mar. -
7. Wittumspalais
Much of Weimar's greatness is owed to its patron, the widowed countess Anna Amalia, whose home, the Wittumspalais, is surprisingly modest. In the late 18th century the countess went talent hunting for cultural figures to decorate the glittering court her Saxon forebears had established. She discovered Goethe, and he served the countess as a counselor, advising her on financial matters and town design. Schiller followed, and he and Goethe became valued visitors to the countess's home. Within this exquisite baroque house you can see the drawing room in which she held soirées, complete with the original cherrywood table at which the company sat. The east wing of the house contains a small museum that's a fascinating memorial to those cultural gatherings.
Am Palais 3, Weimar, Thuringia, D–99423, Germany03643-545–377Sight Details
Rate Includes: €7, Closed Mon.
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