20,000 visitors discover Colditz Castle

Since mid-April, 20,000 people have visited the museum at Colditz Castle. The first season after the fresh start therefore ends successfully. Demand was so great that only a few days after the grand opening, the technology was already upgraded and almost 100 extra HistoPads ordered. The newly designed tour, exciting escape stories and the castle’s unique charm attracted two thirds of its guests from Germany. Visitors from abroad came mainly from Great Britain (25%), the Netherlands (6%), the Czech Republic, Poland and France. More than 80 groups, including from Denmark and even Australia discovered the past of the Renaissance castle. Tours were also often booked by schools and companies as part of business trips. In addition to the HistoPad tour, English visitors also often went on the so-called Extended Tour, which is offered five times a week and presents the escape sites outside the museum. Guests spent an average of more than two hours in the castle. Visitors’ conclusion: 4.8 out of 5 stars for the tour and the Tripadvisor Travellers Choice Award 2024. The signs in the castle, with its many twists and turns, had to be improved. There are now also more seats to accommodate the needs of the visitors: seating in the museum has doubled and more seating benches have been ordered for the castle courtyard. Visitors are still most fascinated by the Colditz Glider. A replica of the glider built by prisoners to help them escape is on display in the loft.

Outlook & jubilee: 80th anniversary of the liberation of Colditz Castle
The first season ends on December 1st. From this date, the museum will only open for groups upon request. “During the winter we look back on the past months with the team and look at what went well and what can still be improved,” said Branch Manager Nancy Baumert. Plans for 2025 are also already well underway. A change in the opening hours has already been decided: “Demand, in particular from groups, has been so great that we will extend our opening hours from 2025. There will no longer be a closing day and from April to October we will open daily. In March and November, we are also open five days a week” said Castle Manager, Peter Knierriem.
With the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Colditz Castle, there will be a very important jubilee in 2025 with several special events on April 16. We are also realizing our other plans for the year: There will be special new guided tours behind closed doors, offers for families and a unique holiday program. A book dedicated mainly to the Dutch prisoners and their escape attempts is also planned.

Colditz Castle re-design facts and figures
After two years of planning and a six-month closure for the conversion work, Colditz Castle opened a new emotional tour on April 17, 2024. Across an area of 1,300 m² in the once magnificent hunting lodge, 300 exhibits and immersive scenes on the HistoPad tablet guide bring 500 years of castle history to life. The tour focuses on two particularly defining eras: the Renaissance and the time of World War II, when Colditz Castle was used as a prisoner of war camp for high-ranking officers of the western allies. The prisoners’ many impressive escape attempts are regarded as legendary, particularly in Great Britain, and have become well known thanks to a TV series and the book “The Colditz Story”. Ten of the more than 300 escape stories are described in the tour and brought to life in a unique way with animation. State Palaces, Castles and Gardens of Saxony, non-profit (SBG) has invested a generous €500K in the transformation of the museum of Colditz Castle. However, even after the reopening of the museum, guests will not see a fully renovated castle. Unique at the Colditz Castle museum is that the castle’s Lost Place character is preserved. In this way the different eras and usages are brought to life during the visit.

Still mysterious:
a hole in the castle courtyard rouses rumors about an undiscovered escape tunnel
The imposing castle grounds still conceal undiscovered secrets. At the end of summer, a paving stone was suddenly missing in the castle courtyard. Employees found a large hollow area beneath this. Since the end of September, the State Authority of Archeology, Saxon Property and Building Management and further specialist firms have been examining this hollow area. They found underground drainage pipes which have existed since the Renaissance and were later used by the prisoners of war in their attempts to escape. A shaft made out of broken stones, porcelain and tile pieces are evidence of this. So, soon there might well be a new story to tell in Colditz Castle.

Opening hours 2024 until November 30
Until November 3: Tuesday to Friday 10 am – 5 pm Saturday, Sunday, public holidays, 10 am – 6 pm
November 4 to November 30: Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm

Opening hours 2025
March 1 to 31 & November 1 to 30, 2025 | Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm
April 1 to October 31, 2025 | Monday to Friday 10 am – 5 pm | Saturday, Sunday, public holidays, 10 am – 6 pm

Admission: €10 | reduced rate €8 | Children 6 – 16 years €4

Group tours available upon request also when the castle is closed.

The HistoPad is available in the following languages: DE, EN, FR, CS, PL, NL

Accessibility:
Suitable for people with visual or hearing impairments.
Not suitable for wheelchairs due to the nature of the historical building.

Authentic overnight stays in Colditz Youth Hostel
www.jugendherberge.de/jugendherbergen/colditz-schloss

www.schloesserland-sachsen.de/en
www.schloss-colditz.de