Zschopau Travel Tip:
Wildeck Castle
Wildeck Castle, Zschopau
The Bohemian Route used to link the trading center of Leipzig with the royal residence of Prague. Goods from all corners of the continent were transported along this trading route including the silver from the Ore Mountains which made its way from here to the European treasuries. No wonder that it needed protection. Therefore, Wildeck Castle, built on the foundations of 12th-century fortifications watched over the Zschopau river passage by night and by day and made the town of the same name a safe harbor for merchants from all directions. Today only Fat Henry
, a more than 30-meter-high residential watchtower with meter-thick walls, is a reminder of the once defiant fortification. In the middle of the 16th century Wildeck was converted by order of Duke Moritz of Saxony into a far less martial hunting castle and from the 17th to the early 20th century the Higher Forestry and Game-keeping Authorities were accommodated there.
Today, the white Renaissance castle that can be seen from afar, houses several museums especially devoted to the industrial history of the region. Bikers will be thrilled by the many two-wheeled treasures from the DKW and MZ motorbike works that can be admired at Wildeck Castle today, for Zschopau used to be the center of Saxon motorcycle manufacture in the 20th century. A book-printing museum, a collection of historical foundry moulds and coin dies and a fascinating collection of minerals should be reason enough to pay respect to this dominant building.
Hours: Open Daily 10am - 6pm; holidays 1pm - 6pm.
Admission: Adults 6 €, Concessions 3.50 €.
[ Source: http://www.schloesserland-sachsen.de/en/palaces_castles_and_gardens/castles/wildeck_castle/ ]
Related: http://www.schloss-wildeck.eu/
Address: Schloss Wildeck 1, 09405 Zschopau
Tags: Zschopau, Wildeck, Castle, Museums, Motorcycles, Books Printing, Stamps, Coins, Foundry
Location of Wildeck Castle
More Zschopau Travel Tips
Zschopau is a town in the German state Saxony, is located on both banks of the river Zschopau, 9 miles (14 km) south-east from Chemnitz.
Related: Zschopau travel guide
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