Burg Mildenstein – Dieser berühmte Kaiser kaufte die Feste Ehemalige Reichsburg über der Freiberger Mulde

Burg Mildenstein is an impressive fortress that rises majestically on a mountain spur above the Freiberger Mulde. The complex is located in the state of Saxony near the town of Leisnig. It is an outstanding example of medieval architecture and history and has experienced an eventful past over the centuries.

First mention of Mildenstein Castle

Picturesquely situated on the course of the Freiberger Mulde , the fortress rises on a high mountain spur. The complex is „ancient“, so to speak. The earliest records show that Mildenstein Castle dates back to the year 1000. This makes the imperial castle one of the oldest castles in the Free State of Saxony. Only Meißen Castle and Altenburg Castle are of a similar age. The castle was first mentioned in 1046 in a deed of gift from Emperor Henry III (1016-1056) to the castle wardens of Colditz, Rochlitz and Leisnig. Later, Emperor Henry IV (1050-1106) transferred the fortress to his servant Wiprecht von Groitzsch (1050-1124). The oldest preserved part of the castle is the chapel from 1100 (a Gothic choir was added between 1400 and 1420).

„Imperial castles were not private fortresses that belonged to the royal property of the German-Roman kings or emperors.“

   

Emperor Barbarossa comes into play

When Wiprecht’s granddaughter Mechthild married the Franconian Count Rapoto of Abenberg, Mildenstein Castle changed hands in 1143. But just five years later, he sold the fortress to the famous Emperor Barbarossa (1122-1190), formerly Duke Frederick III of Swabia. From then on, the imperial castle served as the center of the Pleissenland region. Because the emperor ruled his country from the scattered palaces in the country, he gave the fief to the burgraves of Leisnig. They were to look after the lands and the fortress during his absence.

When Barbarossa stayed in Leisnig in 1188, construction began on both the chapel and the keep. As was common with many keeps at the time, the entrance to the tower was at a lofty height (13 metres). Accessible only via ladders, which could be removed in an emergency. In the 13th century, another defensive wall was built around the keep: the outer bailey.

The Margraves of Meissen seize their chance

In the growing power struggle with the Margraves of Meissen, the burgraves of Leisnig were ultimately defeated. From 1365 onwards, they finally ceded control of the castle to the Meissen family. Margrave Wilhelm I (1343-1407), known as the „One-Eyed“, managed the complex. The granary, manor house and page house were built under the Wettin dynasty. However, as the residence of the Leisnig office, the castle quickly fell into insignificance. During the Thirty Years‘ War, Stanislaus I Leszczyński stayed there temporarily (1706). He was the Polish rival king of Augustus the Strong and an ally of the Swedish army. At the end of the 18th century, the defensive character of the complex gave way more and more to a residential administrative seat. In 1798, the Mirus family had a romantic park built on the castle hill, including a rock tunnel (1866). The district court and the prison moved in, along with many officials.

Mildenstein Castle becomes a museum

From 1890 onwards, other users moved into the castle complex. This included the Leisnig history and antiquities association. A zoo followed later, which at its peak was home to over 150 species of animals (1965-90). From 1952 onwards, the prison closed its gates in the castle and the district museum moved in. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Free State of Saxony was given control of the castle at Mildenstein Castle. Together with over 20 castles and palaces, it markets the sights in the state on the website „Schlösserland Sachsen“.

Here you can find Mildenstein Castle on the map: