Voigtsberg Castle, with its keep and defense walls, was probably founded by the bailiffs of Straßberg around 1200. The castle is first mentioned in a document from 1249 by a lord of Voigtsberg, "Eberhardus de Voitesberk." The castle was expanded with the addition of St. George's Chapel, Palas and round towers. As early as 1356 Voigtsberg castle passed to the Margraves of Meissen of the House of Wettin and became an electoral office.
The following centuries are marked by several transformations and numerous extensions and additions. Whether it is a mining office, a prison, a transit camp or, more recently, a secondary school, history has left its mark on Voigtsberg Castle.
Schloss Voigtsberg History
The medieval core of the castle is the centerpiece of the complex. This is where, among other things, the Schösserstube with the tower room, the Knights' Hall and the Princes' Hall with St. George's Chapel are located, as well as the mineral vault in the castle cellar. In the castle's main hall, from which there is access to the viewing platform, constantly changing special exhibitions are presented..
For more than 130 years, carpet production has been a special feature of the town of Oelsnitz/Vogtl. The comparison with the famous Meissen porcelain is therefore not accidental, as the skilled workers in Oelsnitz produce high-quality carpets that are still sold around the world. What could be more natural, then, than to dedicate the Voigtsberg Castle Carpet Museum to these works of art? A Thousand and One Nights feel envelops the curious visitor who comes across "flying" carpets between floors. From the gallery under the roof to the ground floor, the guest learns about the wonderful properties of a carpet, what it wants to say to the viewer with its design, and how Oelsnitz has been nicknamed the "carpet city." In addition, the Axminster rustic loom from 1910 and the oriental embroidery machine from the 1930s impressively demonstrate the development of the carpet industry.
Among the many attractions there is also a historical costume museum that houses a collection of about 900 different models in its halls. The elaborate costumes are custom-made and striking in their attention to detail. Children's costumes from every century and historical accessories are available.