Moritzburg Castle

The foundation stone for Moritzburg Castle was laid in 1484, in response to the increasing autonomy of the city of Halle from the Archbishops of Magdeburg. Archbishop Ernst von Wettin had the fortress built to secure urban control. Construction began as early as 1479, after archiepiscopal troops had occupied the city. Moritzburg, named after the patron saint St. Maurice, combined residential needs with military defensibility. In the 16th century, the complex was expanded under Albrecht von Brandenburg and served as the center of his relic collection. During the Thirty Years' War, Moritzburg suffered destruction, particularly from a fire in 1637 and the demolition of the southwest bastion in 1639. After the war, it was not fully rebuilt and lost its strategic importance. In the 19th century, the Prussian state acquired the ruin, and from 1897, it began to be developed into a museum, which still exists today.

Today, Moritzburg Castle serves as a foundation and museum. Since 2008, the exhibition areas of the art museum have been accessible, presenting a collection.