Museum auf der Creuzburg

About the museum

The Creuzburg was built around 1170 under the Landgraves of Thuringia and is one of the five Thuringian Landgrave castles. Landgrave Louis IV and his later saintly wife Elisabeth often stayed here; Elisabeth gave birth to her son Hermann at the Creuzburg and came here from the crusade after Louis’s death. From the time of construction, the residential tower with the Elisabeth-Kemenate, the castle well and the two-storey curtain wall have survived. The castle later served as an administrative seat until it was closed by the building authorities in 1971; from 1981 citizens saved it from decay. Since 1990 it has belonged to the town of Creuzburg and is open to the public.

The castle museum’s permanent exhibition shows the history of the castle, the town and the judiciary, the history of the Thuringian Landgraves and the life of Saint Elisabeth. One section is devoted to the composer and music theorist Michael Praetorius (c. 1572–1621), the town’s most famous son, who shaped the Christmas carol “Es ist ein Ros entsprungen”.

In the old district office building, the local history room under the roof shows everyday culture, crafts, trades and rural life, mainly from the period 1850 to 1950. Instruments of torture can be seen in the vaulted cellar, and changing art exhibitions on the middle floor. Concerts, theatre performances and lectures take place in the banqueting hall. In the castle courtyard, with its roughly 530-year-old summer linden, and in the adjoining castle garden there are open-air concerts, theatre, festivals and markets in summer; fixed dates are the medieval festival on all three days of Pentecost and the Historical Christmas Market on the third weekend of Advent. Besides the museum, the castle houses a hotel-restaurant with a beer garden, a registry office and a pottery. The circular path around the outside of the castle offers a view into the Werra valley.

Highlights

• Elisabeth-Kemenate in the Romanesque residential tower
• Exhibition on Michael Praetorius
• Castle, town and justice history with torture cellar
• Local history room with everyday culture from 1850 to 1950
• Castle courtyard with a roughly 530-year-old summer linden
• Medieval festival at Pentecost and Historical Christmas Market on the third Advent weekend

Permanent exhibitions

• Elisabeth-Kemenate – The surviving residential tower of the castle houses an exhibition on Saint Elisabeth of Thuringia, who lived at the Creuzburg for a time.
• Michael-Praetorius-Ausstellung – Life and work of the composer and music theorist Michael Praetorius (c. 1572–1621), who came from Creuzburg.
• Burg-, Stadt- und Justizgeschichte mit Heimatstube – Exhibitions on the history of the castle, the town and the district court, including the torture cellar; under the roof of the district office building, the local history room shows everyday culture from 1850 to 1950.

Operated by

Stadt Amt Creuzburg

Admission & discounts

On Pentecost weekend, museum admission is included in the admission price for the castle festival.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The Creuzburg is not accessible.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Tours in costume are arranged for children's groups of up to ten children; programs are available for kindergartens and schools.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant

The castle has a hotel-restaurant with a beer garden; it also houses a registry office and a pottery.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

The banqueting hall at the Creuzburg can be booked through the Tourist Information Creuzburg for private celebrations and corporate events.

Plan your visit