Heidecksburg, Baroque palace in Rudolstadt, Germany

Heidecksburg is a Baroque palace rising about 60 m above Rudolstadt's old town. Its long pale-yellow west wing, with rows of rectangular windows, stands above a rough grey stone base with arched openings; a dark stone tower with a clock, domed cupola and spire rises at its upper left. The courtyard between the wings is roughly 150 m long, and the 12 m-high festival hall, remodelled by Gottfried Heinrich Krohne with curved walls and buffet niches, occupies the centre of the main wing.

A 13th-century castle of the counts of Orlamünde, acquired by the counts of Schwarzburg in 1334 and destroyed in 1345, preceded the palace. From 1571 Georg Robin and Christoph Junghans converted the site into a three-winged Renaissance residence. After the 1735 fire, Johann Christoph Knöffel and from 1743 Gottfried Heinrich Krohne rebuilt it in the Dresden late-Baroque style.

The palace served as the residence of the Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt princes and displays how the ruling family lived. The rooms with their furnishings, paintings, and objects reveal the power and taste of this ducal household.

The palace is best reached on foot from the old town, either by climbing stairs or following a gentler uphill path. Visitors can explore the rooms independently or join guided tours to learn more about the history and furnishings.

The palace's central hall soars several stories high and now serves as a venue for concerts and cultural events. The attached tower, built mid-18th century, offers views across the Thuringia landscape.