The castle in Bad Muskau, located on the Lusatian Neisse River, has a rich and fascinating history that dates back to the Middle Ages. At a time when the area around Muskau was an important crossing point for trade routes, fortifications were erected there to protect the roads and the customs post operating at the crossing. These fortifications were first mentioned in 1245. Documents concerning the early owners of the Muskau lands are scarce. In 1253, the Margrave of Meissen, Henry III the Dignified, appears as the owner of the customs in Muskau. However, it is not clear whether the castle belonged to him at that time. Other references suggest that certain brothers, Berold and Thidricus de Muschov, may have had a connection to the castle, but this hypothesis is not certain.
The first owner of the castle, whose identity is unequivocally confirmed, was Bodo von Ileburg. In 1366, the castle became a wedding gift to his son-in-law, Heinrich von Kittlitz. In the following decades, the castle changed owners several times, passing into the hands of various noble families. At the beginning of the 15th century, the castle was extended by the von Penzig family, a north tower was added to the complex, and its fortifications were reinforced with perimeter walls and a gate tower. The surrounding marshes and floodplains of the Lusatian Neisse River further protected the fortress.
Bad Muskau park and castle in 1839. Photo: Heinrich Wilhelm Teichgräber, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
During renovations at the New Castle, remnants of Gothic walls were discovered to recreate the appearance of the medieval fortress. The centrepiece of the castle was a tower with imposing walls between 1.80 and 2.80 metres thick, suggesting that the building had at least three storeys. In the 14th century, the castle developed into a two-part complex with a high castle and a low bailey. After 1447, the castle passed into the hands of the von Bieberstein family and then the von Schoenaich family. Following a fire in 1586, the castle was rebuilt in Renaissance style. This work included both a change in the layout of the buildings and their decoration, which contributed to the prestige of the residence.
The most famous owner of the castle was Hermann von Pückler, who inherited the estate in 1811. The famous eccentric and traveller invested huge sums in transforming the castle and its surrounding park, creating a magnificent garden and park complex that became one of the most important and impressive in all of Europe. This state of affairs lasted until 1945. At the end of the Second World War, the front line ran through the Lusatian Neisse Valley, where Muskauer Park was located. As a result of the intense warfare, around 70 per cent of the town was destroyed and all bridges over the Neisse and the Old Castle lay in ruins. The New Castle was completely looted by the Red Army on 30 April 1945. After the looting, the building was set on fire and remained in ruins for decades to come, deteriorating into oblivion.
The New Castle in 1955 and today. Photo by Brück & Sohn Kunstverlag Meißen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons and Rabe!, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The biggest blow to the future of Muskauer Park was the determination of the new course of the Polish-German border, in accordance with the agreements reached by the Allies in Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam. The Neisse River, which had previously been an integral part of the park, became an uncrossable border after the war, dividing the park into two parts. While the western side of the park, located on the German side, was preserved in relatively good condition thanks to the efforts of gardeners, the eastern part on the Polish side fell into oblivion, becoming overgrown with dense forest. A breakthrough in the history of the castle and the park did not occur until 1988, when Polish and German conservationists signed an agreement on the joint restoration of Muskauer Park as an overall work of art. The political changes after 1989 accelerated these activities, and Muskauer Park on the Polish side was placed under the care of the Ministry of Culture. On the German side, the park passed into the custody of the Free State of Saxony in 1992.
The new castle in Bad Muskau in the 1980s and today. Photo Erich Braun, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons and Heigeheige, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Under the leadership of the “Prince Pückler Park Bad Muskau” foundation, founded in 1993, extensive restoration and renovation work began, which included the reconstruction of the orangery, the castle manor, the bridges and the castle garden. The reconstruction of the New Castle began in 1995 and was completed in 2011. The total cost of the castle reconstruction was €25 million. The work was directed to give the residence a Neo-Renaissance form from the time of Prince Frederick of the Netherlands. Today it is a three-winged, four-storey building with a courtyard open to the park and two round towers. The connection to the park is formed by a striking driveway and a wide staircase decorated with lion sculptures. In keeping with the architectural style, the palace is characterised by a large number of decorative elements such as ornamental gables and grilles, balconies, figures, lanterns, friezes and filigree tower masks. Aesthetic functions are also fulfilled by the characteristic maroon colour of the façade and the contrasting light cream details.
The castle ruins before reconstruction and the contemporary appearance. Photo: muskauer-park.de
The rebuilt palace is now the headquarters of the Fürst-Pückler Foundation – Die Stiftung Fürst-Pückler-Park Bad Muskau – as well as a museum. Its south wing houses the interactive exhibition Pückler! Pückler? Einfach nicht zu fassen! (Pückler! Pückler? Simply incredible!) on the life and work of the park’s creator, and one of the towers houses an exhibition on the history of the castle and the town from the Middle Ages to the present day. It is also possible to climb the castle tower with a viewing platform. Thanks to these efforts, the New Castle in Muskauer Park has been restored to its former glory and is now an important part of the region’s cultural heritage. The reconstruction of the castle not only saved a valuable architectural monument, but also contributed to the revitalisation and unification of the historic park, which is one of the most beautiful examples of a European landscape garden. Today, the castle and the park are the common heritage of Poland and Germany.
Source: zamkipolskie.com, muskauer-park.de
Read also: Architecture | Monument | History | Travel | Renovation | Germany
