Hohenzieritz Castle

Hohenzieritz Castle is located in the village of Hohenzieritz in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, approximately halfway between Neustrelitz and Neubrandenburg.

Of a predecessor building to the castle, it is only known that it burned down in 1712. The then feudal lord, Hans Altwich von Holtzendorff, apparently only had a provisional replacement building erected. In 1733, Johann Christian von Fabian was enfeoffed with Hohenzieritz. The castle was built on his behalf from 1747 to 1751, utilizing parts of the previous building. The complex was built as a single-story manor house in plastered half-timbering with a high basement and a high hip roof. After the death of Hans Altwich's son Adam Friedrich von Fabian, Hohenzieritz reverted to the Strelitz dukes in 1768 as an expired fief and passed to the regent's brother, the later Grand Duke Karl II, in 1770.

Shortly after taking possession, he had the attic rooms expanded by the Neustrelitz doctor and mayor Johann Christian Wilhelm Verpoorten and a staircase to the garden built. In 1776, the castle was also extended by Verpoorten with two single-story pavilions featuring pilaster facades and mansard roofs, which together with the main house enclose a courtyard of honor. Around this time, a gardener's house was built next to the southern pavilion, and in the mid-19th century, a stable was erected next to the northern pavilion. In 1790/91, a second half-timbered story was added to the castle, with the forestry and surveying engineer Johann Christoph Dräsecke overseeing the execution and largely establishing the current state. The interior rooms were only completed in 1795 by Wilhelm Ebel, who drew on the Zopf and Empire styles. In 1802, the building received its current sandstone staircases on the courtyard and garden sides, with the garden-side staircase being double-flight and enclosing a vine arbor.

Hohenzieritz Castle, her father's summer residence, was always the main destination of the three family visits of Queen Luise of Prussia, born a Duchess of Mecklenburg from the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Luise died here on July 19, 1810. Her death room, rearranged in the taste of the late 19th century and restored to this style for several years, is now a memorial.

Until the November Revolution, the castle remained in the possession of the ducal family and thereafter became state property. Individual rooms of the castle, particularly Queen Luise's death room and adjacent rooms, continued to be used as a museum. During the war, Hohenzieritz Castle served as an evacuation site for art treasures from the Mecklenburg state collections, with significant losses occurring after looting by the population.

The castle survived the end of World War II without major damage, although the interior furnishings disappeared. Like many similar buildings, it initially served as refugee accommodation. Among other things, the windows of the Egyptian Hall facing the garden were bricked up. In 1947, the castle was placed under monument protection. From 1952, it was used in the GDR as a sales outlet, cultural center, school, kindergarten, and administrative building. From 1962, it housed the council of the local community and the scientific center for agriculture of the Neubrandenburg district. From 1950 to 1953 and from 1960 to 1963, the complex was renovated. From 1987, the basement housed the local youth club.

After German reunification, the castle, which was threatening to fall into disrepair, was not used between 1992 and 2000. In 1993, a support association for the preservation of the castle was formed. From 2000, extensive restoration and repair work was carried out. Afterwards, Hohenzieritz Castle became the seat of the Müritz National Park administration. In addition, the castle houses a Queen Luise memorial. It cannot be visited with the exception of the memorial, but the park is freely accessible.