Eilenburg castle grounds and mountain cellars

Eilenburg Castle Hill (Schlossberg) can also call itself the cradle of Saxony. For it was here in 1089 that the Wettin territorial state was born, from which today's Free State of Saxony emerged. The legendary counts of Eilenburg, who also play a central role in the legend of the Heinzelmännchen of Eilenburg, thus mark the beginning of the 829-year reign of the mighty Wettins. In the 10th century, Ilburg Castle was built here, with the Sorb Tower still standing today. The Eilenburg Castle Association has brought this five-hectare site back into the public eye. After the Sorbenturm and the castle gate, the small keep and the castle walls have now also been renovated and the slope secured. The Hundertstüfchen (staircase) leads from the town center to the circular route of the castle grounds, crossing the Saxon  Luther Trail and the EILENBURGER SCHLEIFE cycle circuit. The castle grounds are also home to the HEINZELBERGE guesthouse, which has been renovated from a former prison.

Just a stone's throw from the castle hill are the entrances to Eilenburg's underworld. Since the Middle Ages, Eilenburg's tasty and long-lasting beer has been stored in the extensive mountain cellars, which contributed significantly to the town's prosperity for centuries. Later, the corridor systems were used for other purposes, further expanded and converted and ultimately served as a refuge for many hundreds of Eilenburg residents from the artillery bombardment in April 1945, which destroyed almost the entire town