Graditz Castle

The first mention of the Graditz outpost dates back to 1004. Until 1240, it was owned by the Lords of Pack before being acquired by Dobrilugk Abbey and expanded into a monastic estate. Following the secularization of the monastery in 1541, Graditz passed to the Wettin dynasty. In 1630, they founded the Stutterey Graditz, today's stud farm, and expanded it in 1686 with the Repitz outpost to establish thoroughbred breeding. By order of Augustus the Strong, Graditz was elevated to the status of Electoral Saxon Stud Farm in 1722. In the same year, construction of the castle and all the stud farm buildings began according to plans by Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann. After Saxony's defeat alongside France in the Wars of Liberation, Graditz fell to Prussia in 1815 and became the Royal Prussian Main Stud Farm. The Graditz brand mark, still in use today, was introduced in 1816.