Schloss Friedrichstein, Royal palace in Bad Wildungen, Germany

Schloss Friedrichstein is a baroque palace on the 303-metre Schlossberg above Bad Wildungen. Its main three-storey wing has a yellow facade, a dark grey tiled roof with dormer windows and chimneys, and a round Gothic tower with a domed hood and lantern. A rusticated portal with a broken pediment and coat of arms, carved by Rudolf Kippenhahn in 1665, frames the entrance.

Count Friedrich of Thuringia built a Gothic castle on the 303-metre Schlossberg around 1200; the Counts of Waldeck acquired it in 1260. From 1663 Count Josias II began a symmetrical French-baroque rebuilding, with Emanuel Brand completing the west wing and main block before Josias died on Crete in 1669. Friedrich Anton Ulrich von Waldeck finished the south wing and side wings between 1707 and 1714 and gave the palace its name.

The museum branch displays the "Turkish booty" taken by Landgrave Karl of Hesse-Kassel, including weapons and equipment captured from Ottoman forces. Since 2006 a sculpture trail, "Paradiesische Erlebnisse", runs around the castle. The name Friedrichstein comes from Count Friedrich Anton Ulrich von Waldeck, who completed the design from 1707 to 1714.

The palace is generally accessible through guided tours that take you through the rooms and exhibitions. Parking is available on the grounds, and you can reach it easily by car or public transport from nearby towns.

Visitors discover rare objects from earlier centuries in the museum collections, including hunting weapons and treasures that reflect the interests of the nobility. These items offer insights into the daily pursuits and lifestyle of the rulers who lived here.