Jagdschloss Haideburg

Jagdschloss Haideburg is a two-story brick building with two octagonal corner towers on the eastern side and a five-story northeast tower topped with a decorated spire. The design combines different tower heights and shapes to create the impression of a fortified castle.

Prince Leopold III Friedrich Franz of Anhalt-Dessau commissioned architect Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff to build it between 1782 and 1783 as a hunting retreat. A southwest extension was added in 1903, expanding the original structure decades later.

The structure shows how rulers of its time drew inspiration from medieval forms, using pointed arches and crenellations to create a romantic castle-like appearance. Visitors walking around can see how neo-Gothic style was applied to residential buildings beyond just religious structures.

The lodge sits at Heidebrückenweg 28 in the Haideburg area and now serves as a forest management office. Access is typically restricted to special events, so checking ahead about public visiting times is recommended.

The 1903 southwest addition features a distinctive ruin gable wedged between two octagonal towers, created to mimic medieval castle design. This later addition shows how the owner wanted to enhance the medieval appearance even more than a century after the original construction.