Leuben Castle

If one can speak of a miracle in connection with the rebirth of a castle, then it is certainly the Sleeping Beauty kiss that Schloss Leuben, north of Mügeln, received. As late as 2004, it looked desolate here. On the collapsing foundations, a rotten roof truss, which had long forgotten what a roof tile looked like, held on with its last strength. The deplorable ruin was surrounded by an overgrown castle pond, the sight of which inevitably made one think of a horror film. At that time, no one wanted to believe that there could be a rescue for Schloss Leuben. All the more astonishing is the gigantic effort that was put into this property.

The castle was built on the foundations of a moated castle from 1445. The "Royal Polish and Electoral Saxon Major General and Master of the Horse" Hans Gottlieb von Thielau acquired the manor in 1715 from the Counts of Taube. He is responsible for the conversion of the castle into a palace in the style of Saxon Baroque. Leuben was one of the most beautiful and characteristic buildings of Saxon Baroque ever. The building was constructed in 1730. It had a simple hip roof and a central risalit each on the courtyard and garden side. It once boasted valuable interior furnishings. On the courtyard side, leaf garlands adorned the property. Johann Christoph Knöffel, who is responsible for the construction of similar complexes in Dresden and its surroundings, is presumed to be the architect. The adjacent park in the French style was widely known for its design. There is an interesting story to tell about the roof turret, which is equipped with an obelisk. Leuben is located on an old post road between Dresden and Hubertusburg. August the Strong ordered the route to be marked by milestones. However, the manor owner placed the milestone not in front of the castle bridge, but on the roof of the castle. Because he lacked heirs, the castle passed to the related family von Pflugk in 1896, after the death of the owner Florian von Thielau. The last owners, the married couple von Zeschau, were dispossessed in 1945. After being used as a refugee shelter and a kindergarten, the LPG moved into the property. In 1974, the dilapidated building was closed and completely fell into disrepair. An investor who appeared in 1991 was unable to revive the dead castle. But exactly this miracle was now accomplished by a castle association founded by citizens of Leuben, who, with collected money and much love for their homeland, kissed the supposedly lost property awake. It is intended to become an event venue and house a café.