The Leuchtenburg near Kahla
Once a prison castle, today one of the most beautiful museums in ThuringiaAlmost 1000 years of history
The impressive Leuchtenburg high above the Saale between Jena and Rudolstadt. Along with the Wartburg, it is one of the most famous castles in Thuringia. The castle was first mentioned in a document in 1220 as the ancestral home of the Lords of Lobdeburg-Leuchtenburg. Over the next few centuries it served as an official residence and fortified castle. The tower guards in the 30 meter high keep kept a watchful eye over the Saale valley. It withstood a siege during the Thirty Years' War. From the 17th century onwards, the Leuchtenburg was used as a prison, poorhouse and insane asylum. This dark phase lasted until 1871.
Youthful laughter and optimism returned to the gatehouse when Thuringia's first youth hostel opened there in 1921. When it had to close its doors in 1997, the castle fell into a 13-year deep sleep.
You don't necessarily need perfect weather for the Leuchtenburg. The landscape and the surrounding area have their charm in every season, like here in the snowless winter. And the great exhibitions are in the house anyway.
Porcelain – the white gold
Today a very special attraction awaits visitors here: the Leuchtenburg Porcelain Worlds . This museum was built between 2010 and 2014 and, in our opinion, has become one of the most beautiful exhibitions in Thuringia.
Visitors experience the history of porcelain on 3,000 square meters; especially Thuringian porcelain. The exhibition is filled with showpieces, rare, impressive and fascinating exhibits. Multimedia elements amaze even the smallest visitors - this exhibition is also recommended for children.
The archive of wishes
Well, what does that mean? The Archive of Wishes is something like this shooting star story, just translated into porcelain. You know - make a wish, but don't reveal your wish!
And this is how it works:
- Write your top secret wish on a plate with a UV pen.
Of course, the whole thing is only visible in the glow of the UV lamp. - Step out onto the Walkway of Wishes, high above the valley.
- Throw the plate with the secret wish into the depths,
where it will shatter mercilessly into a thousand shards.
That's all. Your wish will come true:
If you can't think of anything at the moment, you can also draw a silly selfie on the plate.
The Leuchtenburg has even more to offer
As if the fantastic porcelain worlds weren't enough, the Leuchtenburg offers a lot more:
- Changing exhibitions about the castle and history
- The largest vase in the world
- The Leuchtenburg Porcelain Church
- Culinary events in the Burgschänke
- Easter and Christmas market at the Leuchtenburg
A visit during the holidays or at the weekend is definitely worth it. Less than an hour's drive and you are in Seitenroda near Kahla; at the foot of the Leuchtenburg.
In order to transport the water upwards from the 80 meter deep castle well, there was a very “special” idea when it was used as a prison. Some of the prisoners were always on well duty. Similar to a hamster in a cage, the prison inmates had to keep a huge wheel constantly moving. This is how the precious water was transported upwards.
