HISTORY
Meissen Albrechtsburg Castle is Germany’s first castle complex the fortifying character of which faded in favor of becoming a representative place of residence. Being Germany's oldest castle, Meissen Albrechtsburg Castle was a trendsetter in its time of construction. Its overwhelming architectural solutions in the late-Gothic style have always been marveled at by contemporaries.
After, in 929, King Henry I had had a wooden fortress built on a rock towering above the Elbe, Meissen became the center of the march of the same name bordering on the eastern territories still under Slavic control. The margrave ruled over the entire Margraviate of Meissen and resided in the previous building of Meissen Albrechtsburg Castle which was to go down in history as »the cradle of Saxony«.
The late-Gothic castle complex – the Meissen Albrechtsburg Castle – was built between 1471 and 1524 on behalf of the two brothers, Ernest and Albert of Wettin, who jointly ruled Saxony. The new residence was to become a representative administration center and residential palace at the same time. It did not really serve defense purposes anymore, but was rather meant to be a palace – the first of its kind in German architectural history.
The newly appointed state master builder Arnold von Westfalen was commissioned with the new, generously laid out building. Due to the steep slopes down to the river, the basement had to stretch over two floors, followed by the ground floor and three upper floors. Especially the sophisticated guidance of light through the arched curtain windows and the cellular vaulting applied anywhere throughout the castle were architectural novelties. The large spiral staircase is a masterpiece in stairwell design, a staircase made of curved steps winding around a spindle of filigree design. What was also innovative were the walls growing thicker upwards, and some technical installations, such as the chimney drafts, partly hidden in the walls.
However, the Meissen Albrechtsburg Castle was never to be used in its originally intended function, for – still during its construction stage – the brothers split the Wettin territory. On some occasions, receptions were held there or hunting parties hosted. Most often, however, the castle remained unused. Only Augustus the Strong came to actively use the Albrechtsburg in 1710 – as Europe’s first porcelain manufactory.
Porcelain was made for 153 years at Albrechtsburg Castle until, in 1863, production moved out of the Gothic rooms. Extensive restoration was to revive their original Gothic appearance and remove the severe damage that had been done by its use as a manufactory.
Additional money from the reparations France had been made to pay for the German-French War allowed for the new artistic design of the palace. Murals were created from 1873, mainly topicalizing historical events at the castle, of the March of Meissen, of the Wettins and of the emergence of the »White Gold«. Apart from the murals intentionally created in the style of the time, ornamental decoration in Gothic style was applied by Professor Ernst Haendel from Weimar. This was complemented by historically true furniture, flooring and doors as well as weaponry, candelabra, ovens and fireplaces.
CURRENT SITUATION
Today the castle is one of the State Palaces and Gardens in Saxony and houses a publicly accessible museum.
