- Type
- Palace / château
- Origins
- 1542 · 16th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Style
- baroque architecture
- Commissioned by
- Augustus II the Strong
- Architect
- Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann
- Visiting
- probably – Wikidata lists it as a museum or gives tickets, opening hours or visitor numbers; check before you go
- Coordinates
- 51.1676°, 13.6796°
History
In 1542–1546 Duke Maurice of Saxony built a hunting lodge in the forests outside Dresden, which gave the place its name. In 1723–1733 Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, had it rebuilt as a grand Baroque palace, with Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann among those in charge. An artificial island was raised around it, the ponds were enlarged and avenues laid out, and the palace hosted great hunts and court festivities. In the late 18th century the Little Pheasant Castle was added nearby. The Wettins owned Moritzburg until 1945, after which the palace became a museum.
What to see
The rooms display one of the largest collections of red deer antlers, Baroque gilded leather wall hangings and period furniture. The star attraction is the Feather Room, with a bed hung with fabric woven from about a million coloured feathers, painstakingly restored. A walk around the pond leads to the Little Pheasant Castle and a miniature lighthouse on the Great Pond.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q156803
Popularity: articles about this site in 29 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).