Meissen Albrechtsburg Castle Museum, Gothic castle museum in Meissen, Germany.

Albrechtsburg Castle stands above the Elbe, its white gabled facade topped by a small cross and marked by the word "Besucherzentrum"; a red-tiled wing with pointed gables and a tower with a dark spire and open arcades adjoin it. Inside, a vaulted hall has slender stone piers, pointed arches and ceilings covered in dense dark foliate painting, with a large painting of figures around a table above a pointed-arch doorway.

Construction began in 1471 under master builder Arnold of Westphalia, making it the first princely residence on German territory. Later it became home to the porcelain manufactory founded in 1710, which made Meissen famous worldwide.

The castle served as the residence of Wettin rulers and shaped the region's identity as a center of power and culture. Visitors can still see the grand rooms where important decisions were once made.

The castle has pathways with varying heights and some areas are only accessible by stairs, so wear comfortable shoes. Digital guides with augmented reality features help you navigate the rooms and show how interiors looked in earlier times.

The castle's Gothic vaults were repainted in the 19th century with dense foliate patterns, visible today in the museum's ceremonial hall. The large wall painting there depicts a banquet scene, and two dark statues flank a pointed-arch doorway. The porcelain manufactory occupied the castle from 1710 to 1863, after which the building was restored as a museum.