Blankenburg Castle

Great Blankenburg Castle stands on the limestone hill of Blankenstein above the town of Blankenburg in the Harz district. The main castle occupies the summit while the Little Castle with its Baroque garden, tea house and museum lies nearby. The site also includes a pheasant garden, town wall, castle park and pond. The castle’s history begins in the 12th century when Lothair of Süpplingenburg ordered its construction in 1123. Over the centuries it passed through the hands of the House of Welf, the Reginbodonen family and the counts of Regenstein. The castle’s turbulent past includes a siege in 1181 led by Bishop Dietrich of Halberstadt under Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. A night-time raid in 1386 by Dietrich of Wernigerode is recalled by a carved head set into the wall. In the 16th century Count Ulrich XI rebuilt the east wing as a palace-like structure, but a fire in 1546 destroyed much of the old castle. The disaster claimed the life of Countess Magdalena and left Count Ulrich badly burned. Later, in the early 18th century, Duke Louis Rudolf of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel commissioned architect Hermann Korb to convert the Renaissance castle into a Baroque residence. Visitors now find the restored main rooms open for guided tours. The Grey Hall, Theatre, Castle Chapel, Imperial Hall and Knight’s Hall have been brought back to their former glory. The Little Castle’s Baroque garden and tea house offer peaceful surroundings. The castle park and pond provide gentle walks, while the town wall and pheasant garden add to the historic setting. Regular public tours allow access to the most important interiors, and the castle once again hosts weddings and cultural events.