Osterstein Castle (Zwickau)
The Easter flintlock is the former princely city palace of Zwickau.
First mentioned in 1292 as Castrum Czwickaw, it was in a town fire in 1403 badly damaged, demolished 1404 to 1407 and rebuilt under Margrave William I of Meissen. In the reign of John the Steadfast (1525-1532) the disused since 1493 Mint Zwickau was temporarily set up in the city castle and operated 1530-1533 on. Under Elector Christian I. the castle was rebuilt in the years 1587-1590 into a magnificent Renaissance castle.
Towards the end of the 18th century, the castle was converted into a prison, later penitentiary Zwickau, which was used intermittently even after the Second World War. Here were a number of prominent prisoners, including Karl May, August Bebel, Rosa Luxembourg and Martin Hoop. In the communist era were here, inter alia, again and again imprisoned dissenters.
On December 31, 1962 ended after 187 years, the "tradition" of the castle as a prison. Henceforth, it housed among others in a later inserted intermediate wing at the Dr. - Friedrichs-Ring a Waschanstalt. The former armory and the cell house served as an archive of a coal company and a magazine for different enterprises of the city. Parts of the plant were demolished.
From the 1980s, the castle fell into disrepair. In the period from 1990 to after 2000 failed new concepts of use and restoration projects again and again. The building degenerated more and more and became the eyesore of the northeastern city center. After emergency measures being taken had to be carried out.
In late 2004, was formed with the support of the urban development association Osterstein Castle to help with a fundraiser the rescue of the complex. The financial security of the transaction was finally achieved by the provision of public federal and state funds for the monument. Prevent the remaining historic buildings could be saved from the wrecking ball. On 3 November 2006, the foundation stone was laid for restoration and reconstruction of the castle. The work took over construction and craft of the region who carried out the often difficult tasks involved to convert the complex into a social institution. Since then, the castle offers apartments for assisted living. Later, to parts of the castle, such as the cloister vaults displaying original, be used as a restaurant and museum. On 9 September 2007, the topping-out ceremony was held. On 7 November 2008 the keys were handed over to the operator of retirement and nursing home profit GmbH Zwickau. The first residents moved on 11 November 2008.