Why was the Heidecksburg rebuilt?

A fire largely destroyed the earlier Renaissance castle in 1735; reconstruction began in 1737 under Johann Christoph Knöffel, and the festival hall was later reworked by Gottfried Heinrich Krohne into a twelve-metre Rococo room.

How long was it a princely residence?

The Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt used it as their seat until the monarchy ended in 1918.

What can visitors see today?

The Thuringian State Museum's roughly 1,100 paintings from the sixteenth to twentieth century, an armoury of some 4,000 weapons, and the miniature Rococo worlds built by Gerhard Bätz and Manfred Kiedorf.

What are the opening hours and admission?

Tuesday to Sunday, April–October 10:00–17:00 and November–March 11:00–17:00; €8 adults, €5 reduced, under 14 free.

Palace

Est. 1735

Heidecksburg

Schlossbezirk 1, 07407 Rudolstadt

About This Site

The Heidecksburg is the Baroque palace the Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt rebuilt on the hill above the town after a fire took the earlier Renaissance castle in 1735^[1] — their residence until the line ended in 1918,^[2] and today home to the Thuringian State Museum's Rococo festival hall, painting collection and armoury.

Rebuilt after a fire, 1735–1737

The Renaissance castle that stood here largely burned down in 1735; only the guardhouse, the ribbed vaulting under the west wing, the north portal and large parts of the south wing survived.^[1] Reconstruction began in 1737 under Johann Christoph Knöffel, who had just succeeded Pöppelmann as Dresden's chief architect. His rectangular festival hall was then reworked by Gottfried Heinrich Krohne into a twelve-metre Rococo room of curved, wave-like walls, niches, rounded corners and upper-level loges, finished in elaborate stucco and ceiling frescoes.

A princely museum, until 1918

The palace served as the seat of the Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt until the monarchy ended in 1918.^[2] Its Thuringian State Museum today holds around 1,100 paintings from the sixteenth to the twentieth century, nearly 500 of them portraits, an armoury of some 4,000 weapons from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century, and the miniature Rococo worlds built by Gerhard Bätz and Manfred Kiedorf.^[1]

Questions visitors ask

Why was the Heidecksburg rebuilt?: A fire largely destroyed the earlier Renaissance castle in 1735; reconstruction began in 1737 under Johann Christoph Knöffel, and the festival hall was later reworked by Gottfried Heinrich Krohne into a twelve-metre Rococo room.^[1]
How long was it a princely residence?: The Princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt used it as their seat until the monarchy ended in 1918.^[2]
What can visitors see today?: The Thuringian State Museum's roughly 1,100 paintings from the sixteenth to twentieth century, an armoury of some 4,000 weapons, and the miniature Rococo worlds built by Gerhard Bätz and Manfred Kiedorf.^[1]
What are the opening hours and admission?: Tuesday to Sunday, April–October 10:00–17:00 and November–March 11:00–17:00; €8 adults, €5 reduced, under 14 free.