Schloss Merseburg

Schloss Merseburg stands in the town of Merseburg, in the Saalekreis district of Saxony-Anhalt. Built in the Renaissance style, it began as a royal palace before becoming a bishop’s seat and later a ducal residence. The castle’s four wings form a square around a courtyard, with the Merseburg Cathedral completing the shape.

The castle’s history stretches back to 968, when Emperor Otto I founded the Bishopric of Merseburg. Bishop Heinrich von Warin built the first castle between 1245 and 1265. Around 1470 to 1500, Bishop Thilo von Trotha redesigned it as a three-winged structure. From 1656 to 1738, it served as the residence of the Dukes of Sachsen-Merseburg. The castle was restored in the 19th century and again rebuilt after wartime damage.

Today, the castle houses the district administration and a cultural history museum. The museum displays glass beadwork from the 19th and 20th centuries and a collection of historic lighters. Visitors can explore the courtyard, gardens, and parts of the castle on guided tours. The castle park belongs to the Gartenträume Sachsen-Anhalt network. In 2013, parts of the site were used as a film set for George Clooney’s *Monuments Men*.