Castle Lichtenburg, Renaissance castle in Prettin, Germany
Castle Lichtenburg is a Renaissance castle in the small town of Annaburg, in the Wittenberg district of Saxony-Anhalt. The building sits on a low hill and is arranged in several wings around inner courtyards, with sandstone facades and large windows typical of the period.
The site began as an Antonite monastery in the 14th century and was torn down in the 16th century when Elector August I of Saxony ordered it rebuilt as a princely residence. That decision turned it into one of the main seats of Saxon rule in the region.
The Lichtenburg served for generations as the residence of Saxon Electresses, who shaped its rooms and daily life over time. Walking through the halls today, visitors can still sense how courtly life was organized around these spaces.
The complex now houses a local history museum with collections covering different periods, so a longer visit is worth planning. The grounds sit on a low hill at the edge of Annaburg and are easy to reach on foot from the town center.
From 1933 to 1939, the castle was used as a concentration camp, first holding male prisoners and then, from 1937 onward, exclusively women. It was one of the very few early camps in Nazi Germany to be used solely for women.
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