Ehrenburg Palace

Duke Johann Ernst of Saxony commissioned the construction of Ehrenburg Palace in 1543, incorporating a former Franciscan monastery. The original complex featured three wings and abutted the city wall to the east. A notable aspect was the employment of paid craftsmen instead of forced laborers, which is said to have prompted a visit from Emperor Charles V in 1547, during which he bestowed the name Ehrenburg upon the palace. From 1590, Duke Johann Casimir expanded the south wing and had the entrance portal redesigned. In the early 17th century, additional courtyards were created, and the complex was accessed from the south. A major fire in 1690 destroyed the northern part of the Renaissance structure. Duke Albrecht III used this as an opportunity to construct a new Baroque building by 1699.