Zerbst Castle

Zerbst Castle in the town of Zerbst, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany was the residence of the Princes of Anhalt-Zerbst from the late 17th century until the line died out in 1793. It later served as a museum and archive. The building was severely damaged by bombs during the last weeks of World War II and largely demolished afterwards.

The first castle in Zerbst was a Slavic water castle constructed in the 12th century. This structure was first mentioned in a document dated 1196 and consisted of a front castle and a main castle, both surrounded by a wall and a moat. The free-standing bell tower, which today is considered part of the adjacent St. Bartholomew church, was originally part of this castle. Over the centuries, the castle was expanded and renovated. By the 16th century, the complex consisted of a number of individual residences for the various family branches, surrounded by a common castle wall. In 1603, an expensive repair project was initiated, because the castle was in an almost derelict state. The high castle tower was demolished in 1618. The castle survived the Thirty Years' War almost undamaged. However, during the next century maintenance of the building was neglected and by the end of the 17th century the building was largely uninhabitable.

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