Can Burg Grimmenstein still be visited?

The fortress itself was completely razed in 1567; only underground remains, now part of Schloss Friedenstein, can be visited today.

Why was Burg Grimmenstein destroyed?

It served as the last stronghold of the Protestant Duke John Frederick II of Saxony, besieged in 1566-1567 by imperial troops, who ordered its complete demolition after the surrender.

What remains of Burg Grimmenstein today?

Renaissance casemates visitable in sections, a well in the courtyard of Schloss Friedenstein, and a 1553 portal reused as a spolia.

Where was Burg Grimmenstein located?

On the hill above Gotha in Thuringia, exactly where Schloss Friedenstein has stood since 1642.

How old is Burg Grimmenstein?

It is first mentioned in 1215 and likely dates back to the 11th century, before being rebuilt as a Renaissance fortress in the 16th century.

Burg Grimmenstein

Grimmenstein Castle

Gotha

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where: Gotha

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

Burg Grimmenstein stands in Gotha (Landkreis Gotha), in Thuringia, Germany. No visits are on record for this building.

Burg Grimmenstein no longer stands as a building: what can be seen today in Gotha are the underground remains of a fortress razed in 1567 on imperial order, after it had served as the last Protestant stronghold of Duke John Frederick II of Saxony. Probably founded in the 11th century and later rebuilt into a formidable fortress in the 16th century, it was besieged from 1566 to 1567, an event that ended the Ernestine line's political ambitions. Since 1642 the site has been occupied by Schloss Friedenstein, in whose cellars and courtyard casemates, a well and a Renaissance portal of 1553, reinstalled in 1644, still survive.

What to know

No building of the original fortress survives above ground, only underground remains incorporated into Schloss Friedenstein.
The Renaissance casemates can only be visited in sections, as part of a visit to Schloss Friedenstein.
The well and well house in the courtyard of Schloss Friedenstein are among the few visible remnants above ground.
The 1553 portal of the former castle chapel was reused as a spolia in Schloss Friedenstein.
Visiting the site means going to Schloss Friedenstein, which was built on the same hill after the fortress was destroyed.

Where this château is

Gotha · Landkreis Gotha · Thüringen

Map of the area around Burg Grimmenstein

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Gotha, Landkreis Gotha

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

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Heritage status: Protection status unknown

In pictures

Frequently asked

Can Burg Grimmenstein still be visited?: The fortress itself was completely razed in 1567; only underground remains, now part of Schloss Friedenstein, can be visited today.
Why was Burg Grimmenstein destroyed?: It served as the last stronghold of the Protestant Duke John Frederick II of Saxony, besieged in 1566-1567 by imperial troops, who ordered its complete demolition after the surrender.
What remains of Burg Grimmenstein today?: Renaissance casemates visitable in sections, a well in the courtyard of Schloss Friedenstein, and a 1553 portal reused as a spolia.
Where was Burg Grimmenstein located?: On the hill above Gotha in Thuringia, exactly where Schloss Friedenstein has stood since 1642.
How old is Burg Grimmenstein?: It is first mentioned in 1215 and likely dates back to the 11th century, before being rebuilt as a Renaissance fortress in the 16th century.