Wettin Castle, Medieval castle in Wettin-Löbejün, Germany.
Wettin Castle rises on elevated ground above the Saale River valley and displays architectural features spanning several centuries. The visible structures today result from reconstructions that bring together elements from different building phases.
The Wettin family received these castle lands in 982 and established their ruling presence in the region from this base. This beginning grew into one of Europe's most powerful noble dynasties.
The name Wettin probably derives from the Old Sorbian vitin, from a root meaning "welcome": the castle and town at a Saale ford controlled the entry from German into Slavic-settled land. The dynasty's cadet branches later supplied the royal houses of Belgium and the United Kingdom.
The castle is a rebuilt ruin incorporated into a building that now houses a school and other public institutions. The site sits on a hill above the town of Wettin, overlooking the Saale river; the steep stone wall and buttresses are visible from the town below.
The name Wettin probably derives from the Old Sorbian vitin, from a root meaning "welcome": the castle and town at a Saale ford formed a controlled gateway between German and Slavic settlement. Nearby lay the Slavic gau of Nudzici, named after Neutz.
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