Wurzen Castle

Description

Schloss Wurzen was built in 1491-1497 in late Gothic style with elements of the early Renaissance by the Meißen bishop Johann VI. After its completion, he often resided here in addition to his stays at Stolpen Castle. In 1631 both towers burned down and were very badly damaged. Today Wurzen Castle is an unusually well-preserved residential palace from the late 15th century and the only Gothic bishop's palace with a restaurant and hotel.

The massive building on a rectangular floor plan with the south-east and north-west corner towers and the deep, dry moat with the medieval drawbridge mark the transition from a medieval castle to a late Gothic palace.

The room structure, the Wendelstein , the arched curtain windows on the towers and on the first floor, and above all the cell vaults with net-shaped figuration inside, point to a direct connection with Albrechtsburg Castle in Meißen, whose master builder Arnold von Westfalen significantly introduced the art of castle architecture in Saxony.