Hoyerswerda Castle

The castle's origins date back to the 13th century, when an early German moated castle was built on this site. Hoyer von Vredeberg is documented as the first known lord of the castle in 1272. In 1371, the dominion of Hoyerswerda was granted market rights by Emperor Charles IV, who later pledged the location to Thimo von Colditz. After changing owners, including Benesch von der Duba and the Counts of Schwarzburg, the castle was destroyed in 1468 during the Hussite Wars and rebuilt in 1483 under Georg von Stein. Seyfried von Promnitz acquired the complex in 1582 and, after a fire in 1589, had a three-story Renaissance castle built in its place. In the 17th century, during the Thirty Years' War, it was plundered and set on fire. Later, it served as a pleasure palace for the Saxon regents, before Ursula Katharina von Teschen had it redesigned with Baroque elements in the 18th century.