Lauterbach Castle

Lauterbach Castle is located in the village of Lauterbach, a district of the municipality of Neukirchen/Pleiße, on a southeast-sloping hillside, between Neukirchen and Zwickau. It was built in 1884 in the Neo-Renaissance style as the manor house of the Lauterbach estate. Between 1907 and 1909, the interior underwent its largest and most significant transformation to Art Nouveau, which elevated the castle from the class of historicist manor houses to the rank of a nationally remarkable cultural monument.

The property owes this significance to the designs of the Belgian architect and designer Henry van de Velde, who gained international recognition through his work as head of the Grand Ducal School of Arts and Crafts in Weimar and as artistic advisor for industry and crafts of the Grand Duchy of Saxony. Until their expropriation and expulsion by the communists in 1945, the castle was owned by the Esche family.

Some of the stately rooms and fixtures of the castle designed by Henry van de Velde are largely preserved in their original substance.

The castle is surrounded by a small park (approx. 7,000 m²) with trees from the construction period and green spaces and is part of the "Henry van de Velde Route".

Since 2004, the building has been in private ownership. It is currently being renovated.