Glücksburg Castle

Glücksburg Castle is a 16th-century castle with two courtyards. It is located in the northern part of Römhild's old town, Griebelstraße 28.

The castle was built in 1465 by Count Friedrich II of the Henneberg-Hartenberg line (1465-1488), who moved his residence from the castle on Hartenberg to within the city walls. The residential castle, still built in the late Gothic style, was completed in 1491 by Friedrich's son and successor Count Hermann VIII (1488-1535). However, as early as 1539, a fire necessitated the rebuilding of the castle. The hopeful name Glücksburg (meaning "Lucky Castle") was thus not a good omen; the Counts of Römhild were soon on the verge of financial ruin due to the two construction projects. The castle later became, through inheritance, the residence of the Counts of Henneberg of the Henneberg-Aschach-Römhild line and from 1680-1710 the residence of the subsequently formed Duchy of Saxe-Römhild. In 1945, the owners were dispossessed and expelled by the communists. From 1945 to 1961, the castle served as the "Rudolf Harbig" youth workhouse. After this, the castle was used as a barracks for border troops until 1972.

The compact castle complex, grouped around two rectangular courtyards, today houses a museum with several special collections and the administration of the Gleichberge administrative community.

The following collections can be visited in the castle:

• Collection of the International Ceramics Symposium Römhild: modern ceramic art since 1975
• Local History Museum: Castle and city history
• Antiquities Collection of Pierre Mavrogordato
• Artist Dolls by Erato Mavrogordato
• Hönn'sche Collection: systematically arranged exhibition of tools and implements from rural crafts and trades of the city of Römhild and its region.
• Fire Brigade Museum: historical fire-fighting equipment, fire history of the city of Römhild