Discover Altenburg: Castle, Museums and Skat History

If you’re looking for a hotel for a stay in Altenburg, you can explore the city through a range of themes: castle and city history, art collections, park paths and wildlife all offer different starting points. You can tailor your trip to the places and topics that interest you most – from the history of the game of Skat to natural history.

City History, Castle and Skat

The Rote Spitzen are the surviving Romanesque towers of the former Augustinian Canons’ Monastery. They have been recognised as a cultural monument of national significance since 2006. The crypt of St. Bartholomew’s Church also tells the story of Altenburg’s past: it dates back to the late Romanesque period, and the church is considered the oldest in Altenburg.

The Renaissance town hall stands in Altenburg’s market square. Its distinctive features include an octagonal stair tower with a dome and lantern, a moon clock, a bay window with reliefs, and its gables. Another historical connection has shaped Altenburg’s cultural history: the game of Skat was invented by people from Altenburg in 1813. Exhibitions at the Castle and Playing Card Museum in Altenburg Castle cover both the history of Skat and that of the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg.

Art and Natural History

The Lindenau Museum in Altenburg owns 180 valuable panels of early Italian painting from the 13th to the 16th century. It also houses the largest collection of early Italian panel paintings outside Italy. The Mauritianum Natural History Museum in Altenburg Castle Park offers a different perspective on collections: visitors can see a historic bird collection, fossils from lignite open-pit mines, and an interactive area dedicated to local flora and fauna. The two museums thus focus on different subjects – early Italian painting at one, and natural history and local plant and animal life at the other.

Castle Park and Residential Palace

Altenburg Castle Park connects, among other places, the Residential Palace, the Lindenau Museum and the Mauritianum. Winding paths and mature trees are part of the park, as are historic buildings: the orangery and tea house, St. Agnes Church and the Marstall. This makes the park a destination in its own right, which can be combined with visits to the museums and the castle.

Guided tours of the Residential Palace take place daily at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm, and include access to the Banqueting Hall and the palace church, among other areas. Check the current tour times before your visit. The Hausmann Tower stands in the centre of the palace grounds and rises above the other buildings. A step-free spiral ramp leads to the top; through the windows, you can look out over Altenburg’s rooftops and the surrounding countryside. Please check visitor access before your trip.

Special Experiences in Altenburg

At the interactive KartenMACHERwerkstatt, you can make your own deck of cards using traditional or modern techniques. Check whether the workshop is available before your trip. Altenburg Island Zoo is located on an island in the Großer Teich and is home mainly to native animals, including goats, eagle owls and guinea pigs. It was established in the 1950s as a local wildlife park with a vivarium; its animal groups include hoofed animals, fur-bearing animals, birds of prey and small birds, as well as a pheasantry.

The Altenburg Experience Portal at Markt 2 is right next to the town hall and combines analogue and digital experiences related to attractions in Altenburg, the Altenburger Land and Thuringia. These include a camera ride over Altenburg’s rooftops, listening stations about special places, and the sound of the Trost organ in a sound shower.

The Wider Travel Destination of Altenburger Land

You can also consider Altenburger Land when planning your trip. The region is characterised by rolling hills, extensive forests and bathing lakes. The Pleiße Cycle Route passes through Altenburger Land; the Luther Trail also runs through the region and can be walked as a pilgrimage route. The Neuseen-Challenge is a long-distance hiking trail through Altenburger Land, marked by a bright neon-yellow shoe. Since 2014, Brüderkirche has served as a pilgrimage and information centre for the Luther Trail and the old imperial road Via Imperii.

The Schmecktouren in Altenburg combine a guided city tour with regional food and drink, as well as stories about the people and traditions of the region. Check dates and booking options before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Heukewalde, Pleißenaue, Löbichau, Gösdorf, Windischleuba, Fockendorf, Gößnitz, Göllnitz

Return to the wider travel overview: Altenburger Land.