Schönfeld Castle is considered the best preserved Renaissance castle in the Dresden region. Since its construction in the 16th century, it has not undergone any major structural changes. The predecessor of today's castle was a medieval moated castle, which was built when the village of Schönfeld was founded in the 11th century. The castle developed into the Schönfeld manor. In 1543 the castle was acquired by the court architect Hans von Dehn-Rothfelser and converted into a Renaissance castle.
The castle, which is located directly next to the church, is surrounded on three sides by a moat and the castle pond. In the former living rooms on the upper floors, numerous wooden beamed ceilings painted with coats of arms and tendrils have been preserved from the time of origin. Other rooms were partly given stucco ceilings in the 18th century. Remains of wall paintings from the late Renaissance were also uncovered.
Today the castle houses two exhibitions. One is devoted to the history of the castle, the other to the art of magic.
Today the castle is used for various cultural events, often for magic shows.
References:The Jan Hus Memorial stands at one end of Old Town Square. The huge monument depicts victorious Hussite warriors and Protestants who were forced into exile 200 years after Hus, and a young mother who symbolises national rebirth. The monument was so large that the sculptor designed and built his own villa and studio where the work could be carried out. It was unveiled in 1915 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Jan Hus' martyrdom. The memorial was designed by Ladislav Šaloun and paid for solely by public donations.
Born in 1369, Hus became an influential religious thinker, philosopher, and reformer in Prague. He was a key predecessor to the Protestant movement of the sixteenth century. In his works he criticized religious moral decay of the Catholic Church. Accordingly, the Czech patriot Hus believed that mass should be given in the vernacular, or local language, rather than in Latin. He was inspired by the teachings of John Wycliffe.