Roßlau Castle

Roßlau Castle is a moated castle at about 58 m above sea level, located at Am Schlossgarten 18b in the Roßlau district of Dessau-Roßlau, Saxony-Anhalt.

The oldest parts of the castle date back to the 12th century. However, a Slavic settlement castle previously stood at the same location.

Investigations of the walls have shown that only the statement "before 1400" can be made for the construction period. In the first construction phase, the residential tower and curtain wall were built, followed later by two other buildings, which can only be evidenced by minimal foundation remains. Special features of this medieval castle are the representative residential tower and the discovered medieval warm-air heating (stone chamber air heating). During excavations, several finds from this period were found on the castle grounds, including a chess piece and a golden ring, the Roßlau fidelity ring, probably one of the oldest wedding rings in Germany. The castle was first documented in 1358 as "rozlowe dat hus," when the Princes of Anhalt bought the castle back from the Counts of Lindau.

The circular castle was the seat of the ministerial family von Schlichting. It was designed as a lowland castle with three moats. In 1348, the castle came into the possession of the Princes of Anhalt. It was subsequently expanded and greatly extended until the 16th century.

From the mid-17th century, the castle lost its importance as the Princes of Anhalt-Zerbst had moved to Zerbst. In 1740, a hunting lodge, still preserved today, was built near the castle and was connected to Roßlau Castle by a bridge.

It was only Prince Heinrich of Anhalt-Köthen who showed renewed interest in the castle in the 19th century and renovated it between 1836 and 1838, so that it could once again serve as a noble residence.

The castle and the palace changed owners with the extinction of the princely lines of Anhalt-Zerbst (1793) and Anhalt-Köthen (1847). From the mid-19th century, the palace served as a ducal forest ranger's office. In 1870, the castle completely burned down.

It was not until 1923/24 that apartments were again set up, which were used until 1986. After the war, the municipal land registry office also moved in.

Today, the castle and the palace are no longer inhabited or used. The buildings and the castle grounds are listed as historical monuments and await a new and meaningful use. A support association has been founded. Partially, the castle grounds are used for open-air events during the summer months and serve as a temporary domicile for the theaterBurg Roßlau.