Berka Castle

Berka Castle is located in the center of the West Thuringian municipality of Berka vor dem Hainich. It is a historical monument and the seat of the municipal administration.

The Water Castle

As early as the 12th century, a knight Lupoldus von Berge was mentioned in documents. In 1196, Burchard and Hartmann von Creuzburg were named as landlords in Berka vor dem Hainich and Bischofroda. These nobles, also known as burgmannen of the Thuringian landgraves, ruled the area for over four centuries and are considered the builders of a water castle on the western edge of the village, the predecessor of today's castle. In 1351, the von Creuzburg family received a renewed feudal letter for Berka and Bischofroda. Several family branches emerged, of which the Bischofroda line became the most significant.

After the severe looting and destruction during the Thirty Years' War and as a result of a major fire in 1650, only the wide moat (with inflow from the Lauterbach) and the foundations of the water castle remained. The then owner Friedrich Albrecht von Creuzburg was severely affected by these events and died in 1654.

New Construction as a Country House

The von Döhlen family, already represented in the village with an estate, followed as heirs. They initiated a gradual reconstruction in the style of a country house.

The next owner mentioned was Zacharias Prueschenck von Lindenhofen, who was the son-in-law of the aforementioned knight Friedrich Albrecht von Creuzburg. Prueschenck was one of the wealthiest administrative officials in the Duchy of Saxe-Eisenach and had a modern manor built on the site of the destroyed outer bailey. In the 18th century, the interior of the castle was renovated several times.

Conversion as a Neoclassical Country House

After 1800, the Eisenach textile manufacturer family Eichel bought the property, thereby also acquiring the baronial rights. The new owners were very wealthy and initiated the conversion in the neoclassical style. Through the acquisition of further estates and plots of land, the Eichel estate in Berka vor dem Hainich grew to about 740 hectares, of which about 300 hectares were ceded in 1934 for the construction of a military training area at Künkel; this area now belongs to the core zone of Hainich National Park.

The large landowners were dispossessed without compensation in 1945 by the land reform in the Soviet occupation zone, and the castle became emergency accommodation for refugee families. In the late 20th century, a lack of use led to further building losses; the coach houses and stables were replaced by modern farm buildings on the outskirts of the village by the LPG.

During the GDR era, the castle complex was already used by the municipality, housing the municipal administration. Residential houses were built on the extensive adjoining estate to the east.