Leseprobe

12 | 13 was also of major cultural significance. The von Bünaus had a famous court band, in which important musicians played in the 16 th and 17 th century. The family might have lost the castle in the 18 th century, had the advantageous marriage of Heinrich von Bünau to a wealthy bride from the House of Vitzthum von Eckstädt not brought in the funds urgently needed for the baroque conversion. Even to- day, the castle’s exterior, with its standardised architectural en- semble, still points to this conversion to imposing baroque castle buildings. The illusionistic arrangement of the facades, with their pilaster strips and blind windows, enhance the building’s appear- ance of baroque symmetry. Some of the baroque character has been preserved inside: the hall with its magnificent Mechelen gilded leather wallpaper is testimony to the fashion of baroque interior design, and to how close the von Bünaus were to the Saxon court, as they were emulating Augustus the Strong’s Moritzburg example. Furthermore, Weesenstein castle chapel, with its wonderful baroque furnishings and colourful wall cover- ings, which was built between 1738 and 1741 in place of the pre- vious building, is a highlight of the baroque redesign and still one of the most beautiful parts of the castle complex today. The von Bünau rulers were followed by the von Uckermann family, who acquired wealth in the Seven Years’ War. They bought the castle in 1772 and added two significant features to its exte- rior: the stone castle bridge and the classical conservatory at the base of the castle. The filigreed architecture of the latter concluded the castle building that began in the Middle Ages with a rather unassuming castle on a high rocky outcrop and grew during the following centuries into a residential palace that reached the val- ley floor. The Large Castle Gardens were already in baroque style, while a small, romantic rococo garden took in the central axis of the conservatory. Nowadays, visitors can enjoy a magical rose garden with many different varieties. Weesenstein Castle remained in the ownership of the von Uck- ermanns for just two generations. Anton of Saxony from the House of Wettin was often a guest in the aesthetic atmosphere of the von Uckermann’s circle of friends and dreamed of owning the refuge in the Müglitztal. He acquired it in 1830 as Saxony’s king for the secundogeniture of the House of Wettin. The second-born – like Anton himself – was to own it from then on. After Anton it went to his brother, Maximillian of Saxony, but his son, John of Saxony, was the first to value the castle as a family retreat. He often stayed at this tranquil place with his large family. It was the perfect place for working undisturbed. Even when he unexpected- ly became king in 1854, he still made sure that he spent one week a year here. A few alterations were made for the comfort of the royal family. The alterations brought modern comforts into the residential areas, such as new stoves, new room settings and the contemporary wallpapers that have been preserved until today. In 1917, John’s grandson, John George of Saxony, sold the Wet- tin family seat to textile manufacturer Emil Alwin Bauer who had great plans for redesigning the castle but was more interested in the yield from the surrounding country estates. In 1933, the Landesverband Sächsischer Heimatschutz bought the castle by means of a major campaign for donations. Public tours already meant that visitors could see the former Saxon aristocratic seat in as early as 1934. However, the museum that had been set up there remained closed during the war. The castle, with its forti- fied rooms and walls was – like many other castles – required for evacuation and safekeeping of valuable Dresden works of art and other collections. The state government rented extensive ar- eas for this purpose from 1942. Fortunately, the peaceful hando- ver to the Red Army on 10 May 1945 protected the castle from damage or even destruction. The castle owes its relative intactness until the present day to many coincidences and strategic considerations, as well as emo- tional attachments. After the war, changing uses and conditions of ownership, as well as the establishment of an art museum in 1952 that present- ed valuable furniture and wallpapers that had been preserved or moved from other castles, drew the attention of the public again. Despite the many magnificent specimens, Weesenstein Castle did not become – as had been intended – a wallpaper museum , but it is probably one of the best preserved seats of nobility and one of the most beautiful castles in Saxony. That Weesenstein Castle can still show today’s visitors life in an 18 th and 19 th century residence is down to its slightly hidden location in Müglitztal and good fortune. Original decor, furnish- ings, accessories and functional fittings, the like of which is hard to come by in any other Saxon castle, as well as the educational work of the people responsible, bring to life the long history of this special place. This book was created on the occasion of the 700 th anniversary of the first written mention of Weesenstein Castle. May the castle be spared the fate of destruction or plundering in centuries to come and may the dedicated public continue to take care of the preservation and freedom from harm of this jew- el in future. The castle will still be of inestimable value for the identity of our region in the future, both within and outside our state boundary.