Can you visit Schloss Köthen?

Yes, several parts of the complex house museums open to the public, including those dedicated to Bach and to ornithology.

What is the connection between Bach and Schloss Köthen?

Johann Sebastian Bach served as court Kapellmeister to Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen from 1717 to 1723 and composed part of his Brandenburg Concertos there.

Where is Schloss Köthen located?

It is located in Köthen, in the Landkreis Anhalt-Bitterfeld, in Saxony-Anhalt.

Has the palace always looked the way it does today?

No, the complex underwent many changes from its medieval origins, with Renaissance and later neoclassical additions, plus partial destruction during World War II.

Köthen Castle

Köthen

Visit

Hours to be confirmed

Book a visit

You are leaving for the château’s own website

See guided tours and skip-the-line tickets tooTickets via our partner GetYourGuide, affiliate link

Where: Köthen

Hours and prices not verified at the source yet.Check on the official website

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

Schloss Hohenerxleben (Hohenerxleben Castle)Accommodation on site25 km

Schloss Köthen stands in Köthen (Landkreis Anhalt-Bitterfeld), in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The building is a listed Baudenkmal. Its opening hours and prices have not been verified at the source yet.

Schloss Köthen stands in the historic center of Köthen, in Saxony-Anhalt, on the site of an early castle whose traces go back to Slavic times. It served as the residence of the Princes and later Dukes of Anhalt-Köthen from 1244 to 1847, and the complex combines Renaissance buildings such as the Ludwigsbau, completed in the early 17th century, with 19th-century neoclassical additions by Christian Gottfried Bandhauer. The palace is closely tied to Johann Sebastian Bach, who worked there as court Kapellmeister from 1717 to 1723 and composed part of his Brandenburg Concertos during that time. Today the Schloss houses several museums, including one dedicated to Bach and an ornithological collection linked to the naturalist Johann Friedrich Naumann.

Written from Schloss Köthen

What to know

The complex brings together buildings from different eras, from the Renaissance Johann-Georg-Bau to the neoclassical Ferdinandsbau.
The site today houses a historical museum dedicated to Bach, an ornithological collection, and a music school.
The chapel, restored several times during the 20th century, can be visited as part of the museum complex.
The Schloss is listed as a Kulturdenkmal in Germany.

Practical information

Opening hours

Wednesday	11:00-17:00
Thursday	11:00-17:00
Friday	11:00-17:00
Saturday	11:00-17:00
Sunday	11:00-17:00

Castle, museum and tourist office: du mercredi au dimanche, 11h00-17h00

Visit duration: Not verified
Wheelchair access: Not verified
Dogs: Not verified
Parking: Not verified

On site

Child-friendly

Where this château is

Köthen · Landkreis Anhalt-Bitterfeld · Sachsen-Anhalt

Loading the map…

This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Schloßpl. 4, 06366 Köthen (Anhalt)

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

Get directions View on a map

Château phone number

+49 3496 70099260

Call

The safest check before setting off: today’s hours, guided-tour availability, where to park.

4.3 / 5from 690 Google reviews

Heritage status: Kulturdenkmal in Deutschland

In pictures

Frequently asked

Can you visit Schloss Köthen?: Yes, several parts of the complex house museums open to the public, including those dedicated to Bach and to ornithology.
What is the connection between Bach and Schloss Köthen?: Johann Sebastian Bach served as court Kapellmeister to Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen from 1717 to 1723 and composed part of his Brandenburg Concertos there.
Where is Schloss Köthen located?: It is located in Köthen, in the Landkreis Anhalt-Bitterfeld, in Saxony-Anhalt.
Has the palace always looked the way it does today?: No, the complex underwent many changes from its medieval origins, with Renaissance and later neoclassical additions, plus partial destruction during World War II.