Ballenstedt Palace Theatre, Palace theatre at Schloss Ballenstedt, Germany

Ballenstedt Palace Theatre stands at the end of the Schlossallee, on the left before the palace gate at Schlossplatz 1. The plain two-storey building is about 30 metres long and 20 metres wide, with two gables on its long sides producing a cross-shaped arrangement of pitched roofs. Its entrance gable, built in the classical period, already anticipates the later round-arch style. The auditorium holds 349 seats on two galleries.

Friedrich Albrecht von Anhalt-Bernburg had a small court theatre built after moving his residence from Bernburg to Ballenstedt in 1765. The foundation stone was laid in 1787 and the house opened on 8 June 1788, making it one of Germany's oldest stages. After a break from 1806 to 1810, guest companies such as Joseph Seconda's and Friedrich Wilhelm Bossann's played here; Albert Lortzing conducted his Undine in 1846, Joseph Tichatschek sang Tannhäuser in 1847/48 and Franz Liszt conducted in 1852. The theatre closed in 1864 after the death of Duke Alexander Carl.

The theatre's name comes from its position within the Ballenstedt Palace ensemble, and it is the oldest stage still in use in Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1996 the town has run the house itself after ending its contract with the Nordharzer Städtebundtheater, staging theatre, readings, lectures, cabaret, song recitals and concerts from folk music to rock.

The theatre stands at the end of the Schlossallee, on the left before the palace gate, at Schlossplatz 1. The auditorium holds 349 seats on the ground floor and two galleries. The house is run by the town of Ballenstedt, so the programme mixes theatre, readings, lectures, cabaret, song recitals and concerts from folk to rock; check what is on before travelling.

The architect of the building is unknown. The theatre opened on 8 June 1788, making it the oldest stage still in use in Saxony-Anhalt. From 1933 to 1945 performances were almost entirely suspended, and since the contract with the Nordharzer Städtebundtheater was terminated the town of Ballenstedt has run the house itself.