Beichlingen Castle

The origins of Beichlingen Castle date back to prehistoric ramparts that surrounded the later castle grounds. Presumably built by King Heinrich I to secure an important pass road, the castle was first documented in 1014. After its destruction in a conflict involving King Heinrich IV, it was rebuilt and served as the residence of Countess Kunigunde of Weimar-Orlamünde around 1080. From 1141, the noble family of Beichlingen established itself here. In 1519, Count Adam of Beichlingen sold the complex to Hans von Werthern. Under the Werthern family, reconstruction and gradual conversion from a castle to a palace took place, adapted to the tastes of each era. Even after the Thirty Years' War, funds were invested in its restoration. Undamaged in World War II, the castle was used by the US Army in 1945 and later expropriated in the Soviet occupation zone. It subsequently served various educational institutions of the GDR, leading to structural changes. Since 2001, Beichlingen Castle has been back in private ownership.