Callenberg Castle

The former ancestral castle on ‘Chalwinberch’ was first mentioned in 1122. Until today, the castle has had many masters and owners. These include the Sternberg family and the Wettins. At the end of the 16th century, after the death of the last Sternberg vassal, ownership passed to Duke Johann Casimir of Saxe-Coburg. He used the estate himself and redesigned the castle into a magnificent Renaissance hunting lodge that today rises high above the Coburg quarter of Beiersdorf. The castle chapel also dates back to this period. Since 1826, after the reorganisation of the Ernestine duchies, ownership of the castle passed to the House of ‘Saxe-Coburg and Gotha’. Further renovations and modernisations followed. The last Duke Carl Eduard lived in the castle with his family until 1945. In 1972, it was finally sold by the ducal family. Ten years later, Prince Andreas of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha bought back the castle with the help of the ducal family foundation. Extensive renovation and restoration work followed.

The castle has been open to the public since 1997. Today it houses exhibitions and the Ducal Saxe-Coburg and Gotha art collection. This includes historical furniture, paintings, artisan craftwork and porcelain from five centuries. Temporary exhibitions have been displayed on the piano nobile since it was renovated. In the north-west wing is the German Shooting Museum.

The castle chapel is of significant architectural note as since it was consecrated in 1619, it has been one of the earliest sacred spaces in the region designed according to Protestant principles with circumferential galleries and a pulpit altar.

Tours

• The Ducal Saxe-Coburg and Gotha art collection.
  Guided tours in German take place all year round on Sundays and public holidays at 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm in summer and at 2:00 pm in winter. It costs an additional €1.00 per person on top of the regular entrance fee to take part in a tour.
• For groups of 10 or more people, tours can be arranged at other times, for large groups and in a range of languages. Please contact the event team at Callenberg Castle at the address below to organise your tour. Please be sure to include any special requests in your email. Special tours cost an additional €2.00 per person on top of the regular entrance fee.

Opening times

Price:

Tickets can be bought at the reception desk in Callenberg Castle. Entrance to the German Shooting Museum is included in the price.

 

Adults: €5.00 per person
Groups of up to 10 people: €4.00 per person
Students/disabled: €2.50
School groups: €1.00 per person
Children up to the age of 6: free