Despite its ruinous condition, Schwarzburg Castle is one of the most impressive castle architectures in Central Germany. The imposing complex, which had already existed since the 15th century, was one of the ancestral castles of the Schwarzburgs, who were among the oldest and most powerful noble families in Thuringia.
While hardly any masonry remains of the formerly strongly fortified castle, the architectural structure of the castle is still determined by those parts of the building that were constructed in the 16th century.
After Count Albert Anton of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1641-1710) came to power in 1662, Schwarzburg increasingly gained strategic importance for the region's defense, as an invasion by Turkish troops was considered unlikely but not impossible.
Andreas Rudolph (1601-1679), a master fortress builder from Gotha, was commissioned to plan the defense system. Due to the marriage of Count Ludwig Friedrich I of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1667-1718) as well as the count's elevation to the rank of a prince in 1710, the construction of representative buildings, executed by the master builders Johann Moritz Richter the Younger (1647-1705) and David Schatz (1668-1750), became the focus.
Since the middle of the 18th century, the Schwarzburgs residing in Rudolstadt used the castle as a summer residence and hunting lodge.
With the aim of establishing a guesthouse for the Third Reich in the years 1940 to 1942, the castle was almost completely destroyed. It was not until the restoration of the Imperial Hall in 1972 that numerous efforts to preserve the castle began.
From 2009 onward, the Armory was renovated with the support of the Förderverein Schloss Schwarzburg e. V. (Association for the Promotion of Schwarzburg Castle). With the opening of the "Fürstliche Erlebniswelten Schloss Schwarzburg" (Princely Worlds of Experience at Schwarzburg Castle), the Princely Armory has also been accessible again since May 2018, in addition to the Emperor's Hall building. Here, the magnificent Schwarzburg weapons collection is once again on display in its historic location.
Since 2019, visitors have been able to gain additional insights into the large construction site around the main castle building on weekends during the summer months. An approximately one-hour audio walk by the Stiftung Thüringer Schlösser und Gärten (Foundation of Thuringian Palaces and Gardens) takes participants on an exciting journey through time.
Accessible
Guided tours
Geöffnet
Museum store
Parking
Events
Restroom
Tuesday to Sunday
10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday to Sunday
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Montags geschlossen. An Feiertagen auch montags geöffnet.
Gesamtkarte Fürstliche Erlebniswelten
Zeughaus (nur mit Führung) und Kaisersaalgebäude
Erwachsene: 8 €
Ermäßigt: 5 €
Familienkarte: 18 €
Kinder bis 14 Jahre frei
Schwarzburg Castle
Fürstliche Erlebniswelten Schloss Schwarzburg
Schlossstraße 1a
07427 Schwarzburg
Telefon: +49 (0) 36730 / 39 96 30