Windischleuba

This was a fun stop in between Naumburg and Meissen. For sure I would not ever have ended up here without Kurt Hielscher's photo. Windischeubla is situated near Altenburg, a like 45 minutes' drive south from Leipzig, which we would visit later on our way back to the Netherlands that long Pentecoast weekend in June 2025. Windischeubla is a beautiful name isn't it? Especially when you speak it out loud and I can do that half a day. It is really tiny with less than 2000 inhabitants. Kim and I didn't explore the rest of the village but just went straight to the castle. 

The castle dates back to 925 AD and celebrates its 1100 years birthday this year. In the Middle Ages, the Pleiße River, along with the Saale River, formed an important border between the predominantly Slavic-inhabited areas in the east and the western territories, mostly populated by various Germanic tribes. Fords—relatively shallow sections of river that could be crossed without a bridge—played a crucial role in transporting goods across the rivers. One such ford existed at Windischleuba, a town on the Pleiße River known as "Luben" around 1200. To protect the ford and the nearby town of Altenburg, a Wasserschloss, a moated castle was built during this period. The first recorded owners were Heinrich von Kohren and Hugo von Stollberg in 1244. Around 1455, Hans von der Gabelentz converted the castle into a moated castle. The castle stayed in the possession of the Gabelentz family till 1650. By 1575 it had been refashioned as a palace in Late Gothic and Renaissance style. 

Parking in front of the entrance of the castle. Later we found a decent parking on the right.

On November 13, 1633, during the Thirty Years' War, the castle and its farmyard burned down. The owners, the Von der Gabelentz family, rebuilt everything, but incurred too much debt in the process. Therefore, they had to cede their property but fell into disrepair after some other owners. The property had been unoccupied for 150 years when it came into the possession of Dr. Borries von Münchhausen (1845–1931), the Antiquarian who starting 1880 rebuilt the castle according to historical plans and in the Romantic style of castle architecture. Münchhausen furnished it with his valuable cultural and historical collections. Windischleuba Castle not only survived but also became a social center in the region. This was also the aim of his son, the ballad poet Börries von Münchhausen (1874–1945). The Baron was a supporter of National Socialism and actively involved in the cultural policies of the "Third Reich." He committed suicide at the end of World War II.

The castle was slated for demolition according to the Soviet occupying forces' directives. This was prevented by establishing a boarding school for students of the Windischleuba Extended Secondary School in the castle starting in 1946. It remained in operation until 1973. Since 1976 there's a youth hostel for young musicians and actors and the access is only limited to participants of events or those who stay at the hostel, so unfortunately, I couldn't walk around in the castle. 

When we strolled around the castle, we noticed that Kurt Hielscher took his photo from the grounds of the children's daycare center next to the castle. It was, of course, closed on Saturdays and I didn't dare to jump over the fence to get there. This is as close I could get.

Strolling around the castle.

More glimpses of the Wasserschloss Windischleuba.

Windischleuba with the fence of the Kindergarten on the right.

Below: View on Windischeubla.