Tannroda Castle

Tannroda Castle, also known as the Blue Castle, is a partially preserved hilltop castle on the 300 m above sea level Lindenberg above the right bank of the Ilm, on the western edge of the Tannroda district of the town of Bad Berka in the Weimarer Land district in Thuringia.

The high medieval castle, built above the southern slope of the Ilm, was the ancestral seat of the Lords of Tannrode, first mentioned in 1174. The extensive castle complex probably dates back to the 12th century, being mentioned in 1194. In 1392, the Lords of Querfurt were enfeoffed with the castle, and in 1418 it came into the possession of the Vitzthum family. After the castle was owned by the robber knight Apel Vitzthum in 1465, it was destroyed by citizens of Erfurt and Weimar, came to the Counts of Gleichen-Blankenhain, and in 1487 passed into the possession of the Lords of Bünaus.

After a fire in 1551, the castle was converted into a two-part palace, Red Castle and Blue Castle, and in 1597 the Lords of Gleichen became co-owners. – After the Red Castle and the keep burned down in 1775, the Red Castle was demolished in 1824.

From 1854 until their expropriation and expulsion by the communists in 1945, the castle was used as a manor by the Barons of Gleichen-Rußwurm, underwent extensive demolition, conversion, and new construction measures, and fell into disrepair after being vacant from 1970. Since 1994, the complex has been owned by the municipality of Bad Berka, which has been carrying out extensive renovation work since 1990.