Castle Schwarzburg

The exact time of the first fortification's construction on the site of the later castle is unknown, but a document from 1071 mentions the name "Swartzinburg." A complex is documented from 1123, when Count Sizzo of Schwarzburg-Käfernburg is mentioned. A description from 1371 shows a staggered building complex with three courtyards and a chapel. After the extinction of one line, Schwarzburg passed to other lines in 1450 and was used as a secondary residence until the 16th century. In the mid-16th century, the transformation into a castle complex began with the construction of residential buildings. Under Count Albrecht VII, Schwarzburg fell to Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in 1584. From 1664, the complex was fortified under Count Albrecht Anton. A fire in 1695 damaged large parts, enabling the construction of a new castle church. With its elevation to a principality in 1710, the castle gained significance and was redesigned by 1744, including the castle church and the Kaisersaal. After another fire in 1726 and a period of neglect, renovations began in 1867 under Prince Albert.