Ettersburg Castle and Park

Ettersburg Castle is a Baroque structure on a hilltop with English-style gardens and woodland views across the Thüringer Basin. The building combines the layout of a former monastery with later additions and offers wide views of the surrounding landscape from its elevated location.

Duke Wilhelm Ernst had the building constructed between 1706 and 1712, reusing the foundations of a former Augustinian monastery. Later the estate underwent changes, including the creation of a grand wooded avenue through the hunting trails in the middle of the 19th century.

The castle grounds carry the memory of Duchess Anna Amalia's time here, when artists and thinkers gathered in its rooms from 1776 onwards. Visitors walking through the park today can sense how this place drew people interested in music and ideas to its hilltop location.

The grounds are a mix of open garden areas and wooded paths that can be easily explored on foot. The hilltop location offers good views, but visitors should wear solid footwear and allow time to move through the different zones.

A notable pathway called the Pücklerschlag was laid out in 1845 as a broad avenue through the hunting trails, creating an impressive passage through the wooded grounds. This route remains clearly visible today and significantly shapes how the park appears and feels.

Location: Ettersburg

Architects: Gottfried Heinrich Krohne, Johann Adolf Richter

Elevation above the sea: 242 m

Part of: Classical Weimar

Address: Am Schloß 1, 99439 Ettersburg

GPS coordinates: 51.03240,11.27400

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:42