Colditz Castle

Colditz Castle is a Renaissance fortress on a hill above the Zwickauer Mulde with white gables and tall windows. The complex contains several courtyards between thick stone walls and towers that overlook the valley.

The fortress emerged in the 11th century as a Saxon stronghold and later became a royal palace. In the 19th century it served as a psychiatric hospital before being converted into a prisoner camp for Allied officers from 1939 onward.

Prisoners gave the facility its lasting identity through determination and resourcefulness that transformed ordinary rooms into workshop spaces for tools and disguises. Their legacy remains tangible in the unchanged cells where you can still see marks on walls and floors from their efforts to break free.

Visitors can explore the escape tunnels and hidden chambers on guided tours or walk through the museum independently with audio stations. Some rooms require climbing stairs so allow enough time to move between floors comfortably.

Prisoners built a working glider from bedsheets and floorboards that they planned to launch from the attic across the river. The aircraft was never tested because the war ended shortly before the planned escape attempt.

Location: Colditz

Architectural style: Renaissance architecture

Accessibility: Wheelchair inaccessible

Address: Schloßgasse 1, 04680 Colditz

Opening Hours: April-October 10:00-17:00; November-March 10:00-16:00; December 23-26 off; January 1 off

Website: https://schloss-colditz.de/de/startseite

GPS coordinates: 51.13078,12.80748

Latest update: December 12, 2025 17:29