Lichtenwalde Castle and Park

Lichtenwalde Castle was constructed on a rocky spur above the Zschopau river after 1200 as centre of a "Rodeherrschaft" (governance through clearing of forest). At the end of the 13th century the castle was under margravial sovereignty. Beginning in 1454, it was rebuilt after having been damaged in the war and received a castle-like character. From 1722 to 1726 the owner, the Imperial Count Christoph Heinrich of Watzdorf, had a spacious Baroque castle built. From 1730-37 to 1767 a Rococo garden was created in the south west making it the most famous garden of this period in Saxony. The Family Vitzthum von Eckstaedt owned the castle from 1772 until 1945. After a serious fire in 1905, Lichtenwalde Castle was rebuilt under the direction of Gustav Froehlich in neo-Baroque style in 1908. The parts of the middle garden which had also been destroyed were restored as well according to the plans of Otto Werner. From 1945 until 1994 the castle served as a sanatorium, residential school and academy.