Discover history: Schloßberg
This is where the history of the city of Chemnitz began a good eight centuries ago.
The previously sparsely populated foothills of the low mountain range were systematically developed and expanded from the 12th century onwards at the instigation of German kings and emperors. As a base, Emperor Lothar von Süpplingenburg founded a monastery in 1136, which was placed under the Benedictine order. A few years later, this monastery took the initiative to establish a long-distance trade market.
This provided important impetus for the establishment of the later town. From humble beginnings, the Benedictine monastery of St Mary's developed into one of the most important monasteries in Saxony. It became a centre for art, culture and science. Extensive income from the neighbouring villages and the mining industry in the Ore Mountains formed the basis for opulent building projects.
In the late 13th century, the east wing of the cloister with its magnificent architectural sculpture was built with the involvement of the Meissen cathedral building workshop. The large fish pond, now known as the castle pond, was created below the monastery as early as 1483. The complex experienced the peak of its economic and cultural development in the late 15th and early 16th centuries: Under the abbots Heinrich von Schleinitz and Hilarius von Rehburg, there was a large-scale series of remodelling and new buildings that could compete with the most important castle and church buildings in the country.
Today's castle church, completed in 1527, is one of the great late Gothic hall churches in Saxony. Leading artists such as the Wittenberg Cranach workshop and the sculptors Hans Witten and Franz Maidburg were brought in to decorate it. The so-called "Flagellation Column" is a unique work of art in Europe.
As a consequence of the Reformation, monastic life came to an end in 1541. The huge estate, which also included Rabenstein Castle, was confiscated by the sovereign and converted into a ducal office. The buildings stood empty for a while before the Dresden court discovered them as a princely summer residence and had them converted into a prestigious residence. The Renaissance hall in today's Schloßbergmuseum with its magnificent design still gives an idea of the courtly splendour. However, interest quickly waned again. After 1632, the Thirty Years' War saw heavy looting and devastation. Since then, the extensive grounds have only been partially used and gradually fell into disrepair.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, large parts were demolished, leaving only the church and two wings of the adjoining cloister buildings. In addition to a theatre hall, they also housed an inn, a weather station, stables and flats. Part of the church was used as a salt store. The neglected church was thoroughly restored between 1866 and 1897 and was given an 87 metre high neo-Gothic spire. It was a striking landmark of the town until it was damaged in 1945 and subsequently reduced to its current height of 48 metres.
The remaining buildings were converted into the Museum of City History - now the Schloßbergmuseum - between 1929 and 1931. In a large-scale reconstruction phase between 1985 and 1994, the missing west and north wings were added in a modern style. To this day, the museum houses the valuable collections that the Chemnitz History Society has been amassing since 1872 and which have been systematically added to since then. Gothic sculptures, evidence of the history of craftsmanship and production, textiles, furniture and much more bring the everyday life of bygone times to life in permanent and special exhibitions. Today, the castle church and Schloßbergmuseum form a historical and structural unit that is not only one of the oldest, but also one of the most valuable monuments in the city of Chemnitz.