Show time at the castle!

Historical backdrops in the dream factory of Thuringia

Thuringia has not only produced first-class and award-winning actors such as Oscar nominee Sandra Hüller, German Film Award winner Albrecht Schuch and Golden Camera winner Thomas Thieme. The Free State also has a lot of shooting locations that are perfect for films. Castles and palaces in particular are repeatedly used as film sets – and as theatres or cinemas on mild summer evenings.

Leuchtenburg Castle – Crime Scene Weimar “The departing policeman”

Two evil sisters, a herbalist, a scoundrel, a castle on a hill, a poisoned Policeman. These are the ingredients of the fourth case of Weimar’s TATORT investigators Dorn und Lessing – played by Nora Tschirner and Christian Ulmen – “Der scheidende Schupo”. Leuchtenburg Castle, which is located near Kahla, 400 metres above the Saale Valley, served as the fictional “Schwanitz Castle” when filming began at the beginning of 2016. In the multi-award-winning permanent exhibition “Leuchtenburg Porcelain Worlds” in the medieval castle complex, you will find and experience various locations and objects from the episode: the viewing platform “Skywalk of Wishes”, the “Room of Failure”, the gardener’s house, the world’s largest porcelain vase at eight metres high, and the smallest known piece of porcelain in the world. Even the old herb garden with the castor bean plant, which is the source of the fatal poison in the programme, can also be seen here. There is no antidote! But you can rest assured, castle director Ulrika Kaiser says: “The crop of our arbor mirabilis is protected and poses no threat to our guests.” Therefore, there is nothing standing in the way of your journey of discovery through the history of “white gold” and a Tatort tour.

Hanstein Castle - “The Physician”

Even though the British Oscar winner Sir Ben Kingsley (plays the healer Ibn Sina) and Fack ju Göhte-star Elyas M’Barek (plays Karim) were not there personally, Castle Hanstein, which was built in 1308 and is located in Bornhagen in the district of Eichsfeld, experienced a touch of Hollywood for three days in 2012. The largest castle ruin in central Germany transformed into 11th century London for the cinema and TV film “The Physician”. The set designers did not have to change much to achieve this; they merely covered the cobblestones with a dirt floor that was typical for the time. Scenes in which the orphan Rob Cole (Tom Payne) learns the art of healing from a barber (Stellan Skarsgard) were shot here. In total , around 300 actors, extras and production assistants were involved in the scenes filmed at Hanstein Castle. At the knight games that take place every year at the castle, you can “travel back” to medieval London yourself. From the North Tower, which is accessible to visitors, you have a wonderful view and can see as far as the Brocken in the Harz Mountains.

Wartburg Castle – “Luther”, “Ruby Red Trilogy”

After almost five hundred years, Martin Luther, in the form of the British actor Joseph Fiennes, returned to the place where he translated the Bible from 4 May 1521 until 1 March 1522: the Wartburg Castle in Eisenach. The German-American film “Luther” was shot in April 2002, but not in the Luther Room, which was much too small, but in the Palas, where the Diet of Worms was shown. Ten years later, stage blood flowed in the banqueting hall of the Palas when “Ruby Red”, the first part of the Ruby Red Trilogy was filmed. However, it is not just as a film set that the Wartburg Castle, which was built in 1067 and has extraordinary architecture, is known far beyond the borders of Germany. St Elisabeth (early 13 century) lived and worked here, the famous Sängerkrieg (minstrel contest,13th century), which is regarded as a cradle of German literature, took place in the Palas; and in 1817, 500 students marched to the Wartburg Festival and staged a demonstration for a nation state. Now, the Wartburg Castle is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. All year round, there are guided tours, exhibitions, concerts, courtyard festivals, markets and church services at the Wartburg. And you can visit the rooms where Luther lived and see the famous ink stain.

Summer theatre at Kapellendorf Moated Castle

Kapellendorf Moated Castle in Weimarer Land is considered to be one of the largest and best preserved castles in Thuringia. It was originally a wooden motte castle before its wealthy owner transformed it into a stone fortress from 1150. Since a curtain wall, defensive towers and a wide moat were added in the 14th century, it has been called a “moated castle”. Today, it is a popular destination for outings with its museum, colourful markets and music events. For 25 years, the Kurz- und Kleinkunstbühne theatre group has transformed the historical inner courtyard into a theatre, known as the Burghoftheater (castle courtyard theatre). The cabaret-style theatrical performances have already transported the audience to divine realms, into a summer night rush, to the prairie where Winnetou and his blood brother Old Shatterhand live, and to the local sausage grill – all in front of this impressive backdrop.

Summer cinema at the Mühlburg

Even from far away, you can see the three proud giants that sit enthroned on three mountain peaks in the middle of the Gotha – Erfurt – Arnstadt city triangle: the Mühlburg, Burg Gleichen and Veste Wachsenburg. Legend has it that they are known as “the Three Equals” because of one May night in 1231. A mighty bolt of lightning is supposed to have struck the castles at the same time and set them on fire. The Mühlburg, mentioned for the first time in 704, is the oldest of the three imposing fortress complexes and is believed to be the oldest preserved building in Thuringia. You can visit a museum of pottery and household goods from the Middle Ages and ascend the 22-metre-high keep. There is a snack bar if you fancy a bite to eat. And you can also see great cinema in the castle grounds: every summer, the Kunst- und Kulturverein Mühlberg e.V. invites you to entertaining cinema under the stars. However, you can also simply look at the natural theatre, the horizon, from the castle walls and enjoy the wonderful view of the sunset.