Burg Roßlau

Burg Roßlau is a medieval fortified structure in Dessau-Roßlau centered on a residential tower surrounded by three water-filled moats. The building combines its original medieval core with added Romantic and Neo-Gothic design elements.

The castle was built in the 12th century on the remains of an earlier Slavic settlement. Major transformations occurred in the 1830s under Duke Heinrich of Anhalt-Köthen, which established much of the building's current appearance.

The name Roßlau derives from Slavic roots, reflecting the area's early settlement history. Visitors today can experience how medieval defensive design was blended with later Romantic architectural touches that changed its appearance.

Access to the site is via Am Schlossgarten 18b in Dessau-Roßlau. The grounds invite leisurely walks, allowing visitors to explore the outer moats and tower from different angles and positions.

The residential tower contains a preserved warm air heating system, a remarkable example of medieval engineering ingenuity. Such early heating systems remain extraordinarily rare in castles of this period.