Dippoldiswalde Castle

Even the drive to Dippoldiswalde from Reichstädt has its charm. From the heights, the small town with its white and ochre-colored buildings and red roofs lies at the visitor's feet. Picturesquely, townhouses, the city church, and the dominating castle blend into a colorful whole.

The city, first mentioned in 1218, probably owes its origin to silver mining. Dippoldiswalde, with its large rectangular market square, emerged in connection with a margravial castle (today's castle), which was built on a mountain spur above the Rote Weißeritz.

Early on, the place came into the hands of the Margraves of Meissen. It is therefore not surprising that the castle was built as an administrative seat in the sphere of influence of the Margraves of Meissen and at the same time to protect the flourishing mining industry in the 12th century.

A knight of Clomen is documented as the owner in 1266. After several changes of ownership, Frederick the Younger, son of Henry the Illustrious, acquired the castle in 1300. The powerful Burgraves of Dohna received Dippoldiswalde Castle as a fief in 1366. However, their rule ended as early as 1402 with the Dohna Feud.

Today, there is little knowledge about the layout of the former castle. Although the location of the medieval castle within the current castle area is probable, structural investigations to confirm this thesis have not been carried out. However, it can be assumed that the castle was included in the urban fortifications of the Middle Ages. The city wall, with a triangular layout, bordered the medieval city center. The castle occupied a peripheral position in the urban fortification system.

After battles against the Hussites in 1429, the castle burned down. It was not until Duke Albrecht had it repaired again in 1485. From 1503 to 1568, the powerful and wealthy family of the Lords of Maltitz ruled the castle, transforming the estate into a modern Renaissance castle.

In the 16th century, the overbuilding of the castle began, which was intensified after the change of ownership to the Elector from 1569.

The current building of the castle dates back to the second quarter of the 16th century and the second half of the 17th century. Three wings enclose an inner courtyard facing the church. The most important part is the two-axis central building on the courtyard side from 1530-40 with its early Renaissance forms. The portraits depict members of the Maltitz family.

In 1569, the noble family had to sell the castle. Elector August of Saxony, as the new owner, did not hesitate long and established an administrative office in the castle. The electoral master builder Christoph Tendler built the south wing with a round stair tower in the corner by 1571. The north wing was only added in 1840.

During the Thirty Years' War, the castle burned down several times and was plundered, but was always rebuilt. However, the ravages of time constantly took their toll on the building. It was only with the complete renovation at the end of the 20th century that the now impressive building in the heart of the city emerged.

Even though the castle underwent several renovations, one constant has developed over the long period: the judiciary always resided in the castle! Thus, court judgments were pronounced and documents issued here for many centuries.

Even today, Dippoldiswalde Castle houses the Osterzgebirgsgalerie with its collection of paintings and graphics by artists from the Eastern Ore Mountains, as well as the district court.