Renaissance castle with the Venussaal, a game animal and ornithology museum, a Schlosskirche with a Cranach altarpiece, a well house, a dungeon and an observation tower.
From September 26, 2026
Exhibition of around 700 square metres with over 1,780 models and more than 30 scenes on the history of building bricks, from City and Technic to Star Wars, with a scavenger hunt, play corners and mosaics.
A knights' castle stood on the 516-meter-high Schellenberg in the 13th century; its remains were demolished in 1567. Elector August of Saxony had his hunting and pleasure palace built here between 1568 and 1572/73; the foundation stone was laid by chief master builder Hieronymus Lotter on March 30, 1568. The strict geometric layout is defined by four corner houses (Sommerhaus, Lindenhaus, Küchenhaus and Hasenhaus), which form a Greek cross. Court painter Heinrich Göding decorated the halls between 1570 and 1573; the cycle "Die verkehrte Welt" in the Hasenhaus is considered the most expressive wall painting in the building.
The castle includes the Schlosskirche, consecrated in 1572 and one of the first new Protestant church buildings, with an altarpiece by Lucas Cranach the Younger. Also part of the complex is the Brunnenhaus (well house), built to solve the difficult water supply at this altitude, which houses the oldest Treibgöpel (horse-powered winch) in Saxony. The elector had the dungeon built first; it was meant to hold poachers and unruly construction workers as well.
Today the castle museum features exhibitions on hunting and castle history, court life with weapons, furniture and clothing in the Venussaal (Venus Hall), and the wildlife of the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains). The Jagdtier- und Vogelkundemuseum (game animal and ornithology museum) shows mammals and birds of the region in over 60 dioramas. Also included are a carriage museum and the observation tower in the Lindenhaus. The castle also houses a motorcycle museum that can be visited separately. The complex is run by the Schlossbetriebe (castle operators) Augustusburg, Scharfenstein and Lichtenwalde.
| Adults | €15 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €12school pupils, students, trainees, unemployed people, social assistance recipients and severely disabled people with a GdB (degree of disability) of 50% or more (with proof) |
| Children & teens | €12free up to age 6 · School pupils pay the reduced rate; children up to and including age 6 accompanied by an adult enter free. |
| Seniors | –Wednesday is senior day: 10% off tickets bought on site, upon presentation of a pension ID. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €12companion free · Reduced rate for severely disabled people with a GdB of 50% or more. |
| Students & apprentices | €12 |
| Families | €38For parents or grandparents with their own school-age children or grandchildren. |
| Castle ticket (all museums incl. motorcycle museum, carriage museum, tower and dungeon) | €20Reduced €16, family €50. |
| Observation tower (individual, exact coins at the turnstile) | €3 |
| Castle tour | €8Reduced €6, family €21. |
| Special tour | €15Reduced €12, family €38. |
The Schlossmuseum ticket (€15) includes the carriage museum, observation tower and dungeon. The motorcycle museum has its own admission price. The schlösserlandKARTE is no longer accepted.
Wheelchair-accessible are the castle courtyard, ticket area, the game animal and ornithology museum, the motorcycle museum and the carriage museum (one step of 9 cm); the courtyard is paved with uneven historic cobblestones. An accessible toilet can be reached from the courtyard. Two accessible parking spaces are in the car park in front of the castle (about 80 m to the inner courtyard); by arrangement with the guest service, vehicles may drive into the courtyard to let passengers get in and out. Assistance dogs and guide dogs are welcome. A tactile model of the town and castle stands on the market square of Augustusburg.
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 2 hrs |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 6 |
| Family ticket | €38 · For parents or grandparents with their own school-age children or grandchildren. |
Holiday workshops (ages 8 and up) and the "Geheimes Laboratorium" (secret laboratory) with two hands-on shows; children's birthday parties for ages 6 to 12. Interactive stations are in the castle museum and the carriage museum (carriage races, driving simulator). Children up to and including age 6 enter free.
Bus lines 703 (Frankenberg–Flöha–Erdmannsdorf–Augustusburg), 704 (Chemnitz–Erdmannsdorf–Augustusburg–Lengefeld) and 705 (Chemnitz–Flöha–Augustusburg–Eppendorf). Train to the Haltepunkt Erdmannsdorf-Augustusburg or Bahnhof Hennersdorf (Zschopautalbahn); from Erdmannsdorf, the cable car runs up to Augustusburg.
Paid parking
Paid parking on the south side, in the immediate vicinity of the castle, including for coaches; designated paid motorhome pitches without hookups.
Directions via the A4 or A72 (Chemnitz-Erdmannsdorf), or via the A4 (Frankenberg junction) and Flöha.
Get directionsCafé Anna in the castle, daily 11:00–17:00 (November–March 11:00–16:00).
Rentable spaces include the Augustuskeller, the Festsaal in the Sommerhaus, the Kaminzimmer, Tafelstube, Hasensaal and the seminar room "Kurfürst August"; offers on request.
Inquiries & details| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photo shoots only with prior registration at the guest service. |
| Good to know | Guided tours of the castle and Lindenhaus, plus museum education programs for schools. Dogs may be taken into the museums on a leash. |
