Nossen Castle

The origins of Nossen Castle date back to the first half of the 12th century, when a castle of the Knights of Nozin was built here, first documented in 1185. This family held the land between Pitzschebach and Mulde as a fief from the Bishop of Meißen. After the fief expired, the castle passed into the possession of Bishop Withego II of Colditz in 1315 and served as a seat for the Meißen bishops. In 1436, the Cistercians of Altzella Monastery acquired the complex along with the town of Nossen for 4,200 Rhenish guilders and used it as an abbot's residence, but allowed it to fall into disrepair due to financial constraints. With the Reformation in 1540, the monastery was dissolved, and the property fell to the Electorate of Saxony. Elector August had the west wing of the current castle built between 1554 and 1557 as a travel and hunting lodge, utilizing the foundations of the old castle and demolition material from Altzella Monastery. The Great Hall offered space for hundreds of guests. From 1555, the castle also housed the Saxon electoral office of Nossen, for which further buildings were constructed between 1628 and 1667, ultimately leading to the demolition of the remaining castle ruins.