Top 18 Castles around Gräfenhainichen

The Wörlitzer 🏰 was built between 1769 and 1773 by Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff. In the region, it is often referred to as the "Little White House."

Reinharz Moated Castle, nestled in forests, resembles a legendary fairytale castle. The castle park and surrounding water features, with their rare trees, invite you to linger. Heinrich von Löser, Electoral Marshal of Saxony, had this impressive moated castle built between 1690 and 1701, featuring a baroque park, a castle pond, and a brewery pond, to provide appropriate accommodation for the nobility during their hunts in the Düben Heath. Source: https://www.anhalt-dessau-wittenberg.de/staedte-sehenswuerdigkeiten-landschaften/wasserschloss-reinharz

Burgkemnitz Castle with beautiful park

The Bergfried represents the oldest building (from 1206) in the castle area. The so-called Hexenkeller (Witches' Cellar) is also located here. Behind it stands the main building, which was built as the administrative seat of the town of Düben and now houses the Heimat- und Landschaftsmuseum (Local and Landscape Museum). Next to the main building is the so-called Burgwärterhäuschen (Castle Warden's House), which now accommodates a small café. All buildings were extensively renovated in the years 1997–1999. Quelle https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burg_D%C3%BCben

During the Seven Years' War, Prussian King Frederick II stayed in the castle and established the largest supply depot of his army in Saxony here, which was guarded by 5,000 soldiers. Subsequently, on November 3, 1760, the Battle of Torgau took place, which Frederick II managed to decide in his favor despite heavy losses. During the Wars of Liberation, from October 10, 1813, to October 14, 1813, Napoleon established his headquarters in Düben Castle. Here, according to his own statements, he is said to have spent the most terrible days of his life due to the uncertainty of the military and political situation. After 1815, the castle, as well as the town of Düben, came to Prussia. The judicial and revenue office existing in the castle in 1780 was dissolved in 1942. After the Second World War, under the leadership of local historian Willy Winkler, a landscape and local history museum about the town of Bad Düben and the Dübener Heide was established by 1953. Exhibits on the history of Düben Castle and town, as well as on the economic development of the region, can be seen. During renovation work in the castle tower in October 2017, a wall frieze by Paul Haffner (born 1874; died 1965) was discovered in the interior of the timber-framed floor behind loose paint remnants. Haffner was significantly involved in the exhibition design of the landscape museum in the early 1950s. In addition to numerous murals and illustrations that served to better understand the museum's content, Haffner, who worked in the printing company of museum founder Willy Winkler, drew the inventory cards for the collection objects, created many drawings and preparatory work for the museum, and was involved in backdrop painting for the local stage.[1] Due to extensive renovation and conversion work, the landscape museum in the castle is currently closed and is expected to reopen its doors to visitors in April 2019. The area around the castle, including the watermill, remains accessible. Source https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burg_D%C3%BCben

The Düben Castle is first mentioned in the year 981 in the chronicle of Thietmar von Merseburg during the dissolution of the Bishopric of Merseburg under the Slavic name "Dibni". The location for the construction of the castle was favorable due to the ford across the Mulde river on an old trade route. Thus, a Slavic settlement also emerged next to the castle. In the course of German eastward colonization, Flemish immigrants founded the municipality of Neumark around 1200 next to the castle; later, Frankish and Saxon settlers took over the old Slavic farmsteads, thereby forming the town of Düben. In the year 1017, Düben Castle was owned by Count Albi, who was shortly followed by Count Friedrich von Eilenburg. In connection with the Battle of Welfesholz, Wiprecht von Groitzsch conquered the castle in 1115 and from here captured several noble seats in the surrounding area. Margrave Otto the Rich was also temporarily imprisoned here. Through an inheritance contract, the castle came into the possession of the Thuringian Landgraves in 1291, who granted it as a fief to their followers. In the year 1450, the castle was completely destroyed during a feud between the brothers Friedrich and Wilhelm von Thüringen. Since 1530, the castle housed the Saxon administrative seat of the Düben office. The castle gained supra-regional fame during the Kohlhase affair, which began in 1532 with the nobleman von Zaschwitz and the Elector of Saxony, and lasted until 1540 (negotiation in Düben in 1533). The most famous district administrator was likely Philipp Melanchthon junior in 1554. During the Thirty Years' War, on September 15, 1631, the Swedish King Gustav II Adolf, the Brandenburg Elector Georg Wilhelm, and the Saxon Elector Johann Georg I concluded an alliance here against the Catholic Emperor Ferdinand II and subsequently defeated the imperial troops of Field Marshal Tilly at the Battle of Breitenfeld. The alliance did not help the town of Düben; it was destroyed three more times (1631, 1637, and 1641) by passing mercenary armies. One of the last witch trials in Germany also took place at Düben Castle. Tradition reports, alongside several narratives, of a witch's cellar in the castle, torture (which was prohibited for Saxony in 1783), a witch's grave, and a witch's dance ground. Source https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burg_D%C3%BCben

Reinharz Castle and Castle Park Heinrich von Löser, Electorate of Saxony's hereditary marshal, had a representative moated castle with a baroque park, castle pond and brewery pond built between 1690 and 1701 in order to provide appropriate accommodation for the nobles during their hunts in the Düben Heath. Löser based the three-story, horseshoe-shaped building on the annual division: the facade is divided into 365 windows, and the castle has 52 doors and 12 rooms. The 68 m high tower was used as an observatory in the 18th century. Valuable scientific equipment was created in the mechanical-optical workshop, including telescopes, reflecting telescopes and sundials. 15 of these are on display in the Mathematical-Physical Salon of the Dresden Zwinger. The formally designed garden was probably completed in the first half of the 18th century under the direction of Hans von Löser. In 1837, the castle, including the farm buildings and park, was sold to the bourgeois Hertwig family, who had the park landscaped after 1850. The northern embroidery parterre with the strictly axial path system was removed. In addition, a connected meadow area, the "castle meadow", was created with many, sometimes rare, individual trees and groups of trees. Today, they characterize the striking old trees. In the southern section of the park, the main path system has largely been preserved. Between 1947 and 1990, the castle and park were used as a spa complex. The complex has been privately owned since 1998. Source: display board

The Bergfried is the oldest building (from 1206) in the castle complex. The so-called Hexenkeller (Witches' Cellar) is also located here. Behind it stands the main building, which was built as the administrative seat of the town of Düben and now houses the local history and landscape museum. Next to the main building is the so-called Burgwärterhäuschen (Castle Keeper's House), which now houses a small café. All buildings were extensively renovated in the years 1997–1999. At the foot of the castle is the also restored Bergschiffsmühle (mountain watermill). Quelle:https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burg_D%C3%BCben