• Aerial view of Hubertusburg Castle

  • Hubertusburg

  • Peace Festival

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The reason

Why is Wermsdorf a Place of Peace

The Peace of Hubertusburg ostensibly ended the so-called Third Silesian or Seven Years’ War (1756-1763), but also a German and European power struggle that threatened to involve the whole of Europe in a war.

The great lesson for the Saxon elector and Polish king, August II, was that instead of pursuing his own plans for great power, he would rather deepen his relations with the imperial family as guarantor of his power. So he let his son marry the Habsburgess Maria Josefa and elected him his successor also in Poland-Lithuania. This, however, was contested by France and part of the Polish estates: With the Polish War of Succession to the Throne (1733-1738) a series of disputes began, which concerned the rivalry between Vienna and Versailles. The British-French colonial wars in North America and European power struggles led to the Third Silesian or Seven Years’ War (1756-1763): Vienna won France and Russia as allies, but Potsdam won Great Britain. When Tsar Peter II had ended the war against Prussia in 1762, Saxony, which was occupied by Prussia, tried to bring about peace: on 24.11.1762 it requested an armistice, and on 30.12.1762 negotiations began in Hubertusburg Castle, i.e. on a “neutral territory”. Saxony had to make a separate peace. Brandenburg-Prussia thus formally rose to become a great power in Europe and became part of a concert of five powers in the European system. At the same time, a hundred-year rivalry between Vienna and Potsdam within Germany began. Finally, Prussia was able to successfully strengthen Britain’s back in the colonial war.

Read more and bibliography: The Peace of Hubertusburg of 15 February 1763 (pdf, 47kb)

Visit Hubertusburg: the largest hunting castle in Europe.

As a masterpiece of the Dresden baroque, the former hunting residency of the Saxon electors is the largest hunting castle in Europe. The castle was built from 1721 to 1724 for the son of August the Strong. From 1736 Johann Christoph Knöffel extended the castle to a royal hunting residence for the Saxon elector and Polish King August III. Since then, Hubertusburg has been a striking testimony of the Saxon Baroque and one of the most important hunting lodges of European baroque culture. During the Seven Years War, the palace was plundered. The Free State of Saxony has invested around 90 million euros in the castle complex since 1991. Today, after these extensive refurbishment works, it shines again in full splendor. The “Freundeskreis Schloss Hubertusburg e.V.” offers public guided tours on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (as well as by appointment), which tell the extremely diverse history of the castle and allow a view into the premises.

Very impressive is the Catholic Chapel, which is considered a treasury of the castle. It has been preserved with the original paintings and sculptures and is shown after an extensive restoration in its historical beauty. There is a 400m²-ceiling picture painted by Johann Baptist Grone, the biggest in Saxony from this time.

An extensive cultural programme consisting of concerts, events, readings and lectures invigorates the castle and attracts thousands of visitors.

Discover the German Renaissance in the Old Hunting Castle.

The Old Hunting Castle, built in the style of the Renaissance as an irregular triangular structure, was the first hunting castle of the Wettiner in Wermsdorf. It experienced an eventful history as a royal hunting lock and as a place of office.

Today, it is the home of the municipal administration, the marriage bureau, the tourist information office and a cultural meeting centre, where temporary exhibitions are shown. The former historic stables are used by the castle fortress. There is also the riding hall with the wonderful architecture.

Open a window to an historical event.

250 years after one of the most important peace negotiations in history, Hubertusburg was given a visibly memorable place to commemorate this important peace treaty. The “Window of Peace”-Memorial takes account of the current state of our castle:

A great story, great potential for modern, European uses and an exciting future!

A greatly enlarged reproduction of an original manuscript from the treaties adorns the window above. The meaning of these contracts is described in German and English. The Hubertusburg “Window of Peace” is also a wonderful place to start your work on the “Places of Peace” network. Here is one of the places of the “Places of Peace Route” in Germany.

How to arrive

Location

Schloss Hubertusburg belongs to the municipality of Wermsdorf. This is located in Saxony, centrally between the 3 large cities of Chemnitz, Dresden and Leipzig. Because of the near of the motorway A14 and the airports Leipzig and Dresden, the village Wermsdorf is very easy to reach.

Access by car:
Take motorway A14 and exit at junction “Mutzschen” (Nr.32). Turn right into the direction of Oschatz. After about 8 km you reach Wermsdorf.

Access by train:
Regional-Train Leipzig-Dresden (number 6363) to the train station Dahlen / Saxony or Oschatz
Regional-Train Leipzig-Döbeln (line number 6386) to the station Grimma

Access by bus:
Oschatz-Wermsdorf (No. 801 – OV Heideland)
Mügeln-Wermsdorf (No. 804 – OV Heideland)
Dahlen-Wermsdorf (No. 817 – OV Heideland)
Grimma-Wermsdorf (No. 630 – RegionalBus Leipzig)

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What to Eat

Discover the wild delicacies of Wermsdorf

Wermsdorf was an early hunting ground of the Wettiner because it is a landscape rich on forest and water. This is why traditional fish- and wild-courts have become established in the kitchens of our restaurateurs. Beside the goose, which is bred here in the goose breeding farm Eskildsen, chocolate is also a big theme in terms of pleasure. Traditionally, dishes such as “Wermsdorf fish soup”, “carp blue” or “carp baked”, “goose gherkin” with red cabbage and dumplings, or a sweet chocolate from Chocolatier Praetsch. The Wermsdorfer hotels and restaurants offer you a very good selection of these culinary treats.

The Fish Soup has been a Wermsdorf specialty for many generations. For over 500 years, the number of ponds in the numerous ponds has been the basis. The original Wermsdorf fish soup is prepared from carp pieces, bacon, onions, carrots, celery roots, bay leaves, allspice, sharp paprika or hot peppers, noble-sweet paprika, salt and tomato ketchup. White bread and vodka are served. Try the soup and experience the exact recipe at Gasthaus Zum Bahnhof.

The original “Wermsdorf Goose Roast” is prepared from a Saxon goose with mugwort, apples, oranges, honey, mustard, salt and pepper. Red cabbage and dumplings are served. Try these roast and see the exact recipe at Eskildsen.

The Huntsmen plate “Wermsdorf Forest” is a special wild-dish. It spoils you with fine slices of wild-boar and deer-roast as well as a quarter of the wild-duck in shallot red-wine-sauce. You will get Preissel berry peaches, wild mushrooms, colorful garden vegetables and potatoes. You can order this food at the Seehof Döllnitzsee.

“Cold Duck” is a very refreshing drink that comes from Clemens Wenzeslaus of Saxony, a son of August III, and embodies original Hubertusburg history. He was born in 1739 in Hubertusburg. It is produced of different white wines, little lemon pieces, sugar and champagne. How it tastes, you can experience with a guidance in the Hubertus’s castle.

To bake “Eierschecke“, a Saxon favorite cake, you need: flour, butter, yeast, sugar, vanillin sugar, salt, eggs, milk, pudding, curd, raisins and food strength. The exact recipe is a secret. How he tastes, you can find at the Café Wentzlaff in Oschatz.

Things to Do

Be active around Wermsdorf

  • Guided tours in the royal hunting residency Hubertusburg

  • Take a walk in Wermsdorf Forest

  • Cycle between the rivers Elbe and Mulde

  • Dive in Bad Luppa

  • Row a boat on the Horstsee

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  • “Freundeskreis Schloss Hubertusburg e.V.” offers excursions in the Royal-Saxon hunting residence Hubertusburg. Subjects include the castle history, the Parforce hunt in Hubertus’s castle, the Seven Years War and the Hubertusburg peace treaties of 1763, the history of the wedding of Friedrich August II and the oldest daughter of the Emperor Joseph I, Maria Josepha, in 1719.
  • The Wermsdorfer Wald with its many ponds is one of the most popular hiking and excursion areas in the Leipzig region. The extraordinary path of the 4.300-hectare is today about 200 km long and goes back to the parforce hunting in the early 18th century. Selected hiking trails lead past interesting places and landscapes, inviting you to enjoy undisturbed hiking, jogging and cycling.
  • The former gravel pit in Luppa has been developed in recent years to a bathing lake with approx. 1.5 km long sand beach. A children’s playground is available and the beach is half-textile beach and half nudist beach. Also there is a boat rental as well as two snacks and one ice cream shop. A separate area is available for fishing.
  • The boat fleet of Hotel Seegasthof Horstsee consists of various pedal boats and rowing boats for up to 5 persons. Treat yourself to a break from everyday life by taking a boat trip across the approximately 70 hectare pond with its picturesque island. Here you can also discover a variety of rare animals and plant species, such as the sea eagle. On the “Horstsee Island” are the breeding grounds of numerous water birds.
  • The path system of the Wermsdorfer Wald also invites cyclists for day trips. The local association Wermsdorf has developed a cycle path along interesting points in the Wermsdorfer Forest. Picture boards in the forest tell the cyclist about the location and the surrounding area.
  • Between the villages of Wermsdorf and Oschatz runs the Mulde-Elbe cycle route. Numerous ponds and extensive meadows and fields characterize the flat land. Along the distance of the small-time railway “Savage Robert” runs from Oschatz via Mügeln to Wermsdorf at the “Döllnitz-Valley-Cycle-Track”. Maps are also provided by Wermsdorf Tourist Office at http://www.wermsdorf.de/tourismus/touristinformationen.html

Where to Stay

Relax after the visit

Zum Goldnen Hirsch

Hotel and restaurant, 42 rooms, German cuisine, events.

Location
Wermsdorf

Contact Info
Internet: hotel-wermsdorf.de

Seehof Döllnitzsee

Hotel and restaurant, 40 rooms, comfort class, modern German cuisine, fish and wild dishes.

Location
Wermsdorf

Contact Info
Internet: hotel-doellnitzsee.de

Seegasthof am Horstsee

Hotel and restaurant located by the lake. 18 rooms, bowling alley, boat driving. Traditional cuisine, wild and fish dishes.

Location
Wermsdorf

Contact Info
Internet: hotel-horstsee.de

Zur guten Quelle

Country Inn, 7 rooms, homemade German cuisine.

Location
Wermsdorf

Contact Info
Internet: wermsdorfquelle.de

Zum Bahnhof

Inn, 4 rooms, homemade German cuisine.

Location
Wermsdorf

Contact Info
Internet: zum-horstsee.de

Zum Schwan

Comfort and business class, founded in 1458. Excellent cuisine with culinary delights.

Location
Oschatz

Contact Info
Internet: hotel-schwan-oschatz.de

Photo Gallery

Discover the images that will make you want to return

Useful Information

Take note of this important piece of data

  • Address

    Freundeskreis Schloss Hubertusburg e.V.
    c/o Gemeindeverwaltung Wermsdorf
    Altes Jagdschloss 1
    04779 Wermsdorf / Sachsen

  • Phone

    +49 (0)34364-8110

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