Burg Rabenstein
Small medieval castle in the Chemnitz district of Rabenstein, with a knights' hall, a palas (great hall), and exhibitions of the Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Burg Rabenstein was built in the second half of the 12th century, when the Ore Mountain foreland was being settled. The often-used nickname "smallest castle in Saxony" is somewhat misleading: the present buildings are only the core of a formerly larger complex. The complex was remodeled in the early Baroque period, in the 17th century; the small knights' hall on the upper floor of the palas, with its preserved hunting frescoes, bears witness to this.
Above the castle stands the Rococo Schloss Rabenstein, today a hotel. The Chemnitz textile merchant Johann Georg Siegert acquired the castle and its land in 1774 and had a manor house built there. He and his descendants, especially Maximilian von Welck, redesigned the castle and its surroundings into a romantic park in the English style.
In 1950, with the incorporation of Rabenstein, the site came into the possession of the city of Chemnitz. After extensive restoration work, a museum was established in 1959; further restorations followed in the 1980s and 1990s. Today the castle belongs as a branch to the Schloßbergmuseum, or rather the Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz (Chemnitz Art Collections), and is a popular day-trip destination, including for the medieval festival "Ostern im Mittelalter" (Easter in the Middle Ages) over Easter weekend.
Highlights
- Knights' hall with hunting frescoes from the early Baroque
- Medieval castle core with palas
- Romantic park around the castle
- Medieval festival "Ostern im Mittelalter" (Easter in the Middle Ages)
- Founded
- 1959
- Operated by
- Stadt Chemnitz / Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €4 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2.50 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Children and young people up to age 18, as well as schoolchildren, pay no admission. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Caregivers of people with severe disabilities pay no admission. |
| Students & apprentices | freeStudents of TU Chemnitz are admitted free. |
| Groups | –One accompanying person per 5 children or young people in kindergarten and school groups admitted free; group rates are set in the Kunstsammlungen's fee schedule. |
| Combination ticket for all museums of the Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz, including Burg Rabenstein | €28Reduced €19 |
Admission is also free for Chemnitzpass holders, visitors on their birthday, and accompanying persons on booked tours.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Assistance dogs with valid ID may be taken into the exhibitions of the Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Weigandstraße · 10-min walk
From Chemnitz main station, tram 1 to the terminus Schönau, then bus line 42 toward Rabenstein to the stop Weigandstraße.
About a 10-minute walk from the Weigandstraße bus stop. In the surroundings are the Stausee (reservoir), a game enclosure, and the Felsendome Rabenstein (rock domes).
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography and filming are allowed only for private, non-commercial purposes and without flash, tripod, or selfie stick; minimum distance of 50 cm from exhibits. |
| Good to know | In addition to the self-guided tour, guided tours and special events (e.g., project days for schools) can be booked. |
