Cyriaksburg Fortress, Erfurt, Germany

The Cyriaksburg Fortress is situated on a hill outside the city gates of Erfurt. The construction was started in 1480 but not completed until about 1604. The shape of the foundations is like a rectangle with unequal sides. Two strong round towers from 1528 have been preserved. One of them is now used as a viewing tower and the other one houses an observatory. The moat is also partly visible.

From 1631 to 1649, during the Thirty Years' War, Cyriaksburg was occupied by the Swedes. During that time it is said that the famous physicist Otto von Guericke from Magdeburg assisted in fortifying parts of the castle. The remains visible today date back mainly to 1824 until 1830, when the Prussians converted the castle into a fortress. The underground parts house a well of about 40 metres depth for drinking water and for water to extinguish fires. This well dates back to 1530. The brick vaults above the well date back to 1829.

Parts of the fortress were dismantled between 1874 and 1900. The surrounding areas were gradually planted with shrubs and flowers and opened to the public. The rooms of the Cyriaksburg Castle are now used for the permanent exhibition of the German Museum for Horticulture.

References:

Visit Thuringia

User Reviews

News Zaporizhzhya (10 months ago)
Very beautiful place. Huge thick walls! Now I want to see this place in the summer ???

HOLLY MCANDREWS (11 months ago)
Not much to see as most buildings are in use. We did the underground tunnel tour which was very cool but guide didn’t speak English. Still a neat experience.

Saodat Khaitova (20 months ago)
Very specific and important place in the history Erfurt. The museum of citadel is full of interactive activities to learn about the background of Erfurt. Nice and supportive English speaking staff.

RomanProks (5 years ago)
Very nice building, particularly in reconstruction. You can see whole city from the side of Dóm, in the other side you can walk, lie down and sunbathe ona deck chair. RealyGl good place to relax, there is also restaurant with the prospect.

Shadenight123 (5 years ago)
Really cool tour with really cook guide

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Prince Roy

Historic Site of the week

Stobi

Stobi was an ancient town of Paeonia located near Gradsko. It is considered by many to be the most famous archaeological site in North Macedonia. Stobi was built where the Erigon (Crna River) joins the Axios (Vardar), making it strategically important as a center for both trade and warfare.

Stobi developed from a Paeonian settlement established in the Archaic period. It is believed that in 217 BCE, Philip V annexed Paionia during his campaign against the Dardani who had entered Bylazora, the largest Paeonian town.

The city was first mentioned in writing by the historian Livy, in connection with a victory of Philip V of Macedon over the Dardani in 197 BC. In 168 BC, the Romans defeated Perseus and Macedonia was divided into four nominally independent republics. In 148 BC, the four areas of Macedonia were brought together in a unified Roman province. In the reign of Augustus the city grew in size and population.

Cyriaksburg Fortress

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historical Gems of Costa Verde

Historic Site of the week

Stobi