The Albrechtsburg is a late Gothic castle built from 1471 to about 1495. It is located in the center of Meissen, in the German state of Saxony. It is located on a hill overlooking the Elbe River, adjacent to the Meissen Cathedral.
Albrechtsburg Meissen History
In 929, King Henry I had a wooden fortress built on a rock overlooking Elba. This made Meissen the center of the homonymous area that bordered the territories to the east that were still under Slavic control. The marquis ruled the entire Margraviate of Meissen and resided in the former building of Meissen Albrechtsburg Castle, which was to go down in history as the cradle of Saxony.
Meissen Albrechtsburg Castle was built between 1471 and 1524 on behalf of the two brothers, Ernst and Albert of Wettin, who jointly ruled Saxony. The new residence was to become a representative administrative center and a residential palace at the same time. In fact, it was no longer used for defence purposes, but rather intended to be a palace, the first of its kind in the history of German architecture.
The new head of state Arnold von Westfalen was commissioned to build the new building. Because of the steep slopes to the river, the basement had to extend over two floors, followed by the ground floor and three upper floors. Especially the sophisticated light guidance through the arched curtain windows and the cellular vaults applied everywhere in the castle were architectural novelties. The large spiral staircase is a masterpiece in the design of the stairwell, a staircase made of curved steps that wind around a design spindle in filigree. What was also innovative were the walls growing thicker upwards, and some technical installations, such as chimney drafts, partly hidden in the walls.
However, the castle of Meissen Albrechtsburg was never used in its originally intended function, because the brothers divided the territory of Wettin. On some occasions, receptions or hunting parties were held. Most of the time, however, the castle remained unused. Only Augustus the Strong returned to active use of the Albrechtsburg in 1710 - as the first porcelain manufactory in Europe.
Additional money from repairs that France paid following the German-French War enabled the new artistic design of the palace. Murals have been created since 1873, mainly topical historical events occurred at the castle, the Meissen March, the Wettin and the birth of the »White Gold«. In addition to the murals intentionally created in the style of the time, ornamental decoration in the Gothic style was applied by Professor Ernst Haendel of Weimar. This was complemented by furniture, floors and historically real doors, as well as weapons, candlesticks, ovens and fireplaces.