Castle History
A SCOTTISH RESIDENCE
In the period between 1803-1811, the Scottish Lord James Ogilvy, 7th Earl, bought the house. Earl of Findlater (1750-1811) owned the vineyards on the Elbe from the "Saloppe" to the "Mordgrund" and had a country house built on the site of today's palace. Lord Findlater died in 1811, the year it was completed. In 1821, under its new owner, Johann Gabriel Krebs, the palace developed into one of Dresden's most popular excursion restaurants. Richard Wagner, E.T.A. Hoffmann, Wilhelm von Kügelgen, and Gottfried Semper were guests at the palace in his day.
A PRUSSIAN PALACE
According to the land register of the municipality of Loschwitz, Baroness von Stockhausen (1811-1888) acquired the "Findlaters Weinberg" area in 1850 on behalf of Prince Albrecht of Prussia (1809-1872) for 16,000 thalers. Prince Albrecht, who had to look for a new residence outside Prussia with his second wife Countess von Hohenau (1820-1879) due to her low status, entrusted his chamberlain's wife with the search for a new location. On behalf of the prince, she had the new palace built using the foundation walls of the "Findlatersche Palais".
The Prussian court and country architect Adolf Lohse (1807-1867), a pupil of Schinkel, designed the plan for one of the few late neoclassical buildings in Dresden. The recourse to classical building forms – Greek and Roman antiquity, Italian Renaissance, and their traditional use – was essential for the design. One of the models for the design of the palace was the Villa d'Este near Rome.
The Prussian master gardener Eduard Neide (1818-1883) designed the park and court gardener Herrmann Sigismund Neumann carried it out. Under Neumann's hand, four landscapes were created, criss-crossed by winding paths that lead over bridges and a viaduct past artificial ponds, rocks, and a waterfall.
Before Albrechtsberg Palace was completed, the neighbouring Villa Stockhausen was fully built as a residence for his chamberlain but it initially served as a home for Prince Albrecht and his wife for a year before they settled into Albrechtsberg Palace in 1854.
THE HEIRS
After Prince Albrecht died in October 1872 and Countess von Hohenau in March 1879, the younger son Friedrich remained in the palace until his death in 1914. His brother Wilhelm then took up residence in the palace.
In 1925, he sold the palace and property to the City of Dresden due to gambling debts.
Five years later, the park was opened on Easter to the town's citizens and guests and soon became very popular. The mayor at the time, Dr Külz, foresaw Dresden’s rapid urban expansion and wanted to preserve the 13-hectare park area as "Dresden's second large garden" for the city.
DARK TIMES
During the Second World War in 1937, the park, stables, and riding hall were used by an SA equestrian squadron. From 1943, the palace's cellars were used during the day as an air-raid shelter for children from Dresden's children's homes.
After May 8, 1945, all three palaces that had been spared from attack were occupied by Red Army front-line soldiers. Looting and destruction were the result.
Albrechtsberg Palace was then the seat of the Soviet military administration for a short time.
NEW LIFE – "INTOURIST" HOUSE
The City of Dresden sold the palace to the USSR Ministry of Foreign Trade. After extensive renovation work by the architect Köckritz, it was opened as the "Intourist" House in December 1948.
A PALACE FOR CHILDREN
In 1951, the palace was bought back by Jugendheim GmbH Berlin. The first pioneer palace based on the Soviet model was built within GDR territory. The "Walter Ulbricht" Pioneer Palace was used for leisure activities for schoolchildren. The City of Dresden became the new owner in 1952.
RESTORATION
In 1977, the chairman of the Dresden district's monument protection authority, Professor Nadler, declared the palace a national cultural monument. Any change that would have damaged or altered the interior architecture was to be avoided. The meticulous restoration has been carefully continued to this day.
NEW SPLENDOR IN OLD BEAUTY
Since autumn 1990, the City of Dresden has implemented a new utilisation concept for Albrechtsberg Palace. It focuses on the palace as an architectural monument with its own cultural and historical charisma and the uniqueness of the entire palace complex. Particular attention was paid to a fundamental restructuring of the palace's use.
Artistic work with children, a focus of the former Pionierpalast, has since been continued by the JugendKunstschule Dresden, based in the palace grounds.
From 1991 to 2015, the House- und Gaststättenschule Schloss Albrechtsberg GmbH was also based in the palace grounds as a private training centre and catering partner. The municipal Konzert- & Kongressgesellschaft mbH Dresden operated the palace from 1999 to 2012.
MESSE DRESDEN GmbH has been responsible for the stately building on behalf of the City of Dresden since 2013.
With its elegant ambience, Albrechtsberg Palace offers a prestigious setting for balls, banquets, conferences, presentations, concerts, award ceremonies, weddings, and marriages. The entire palace or individual floors can be rented for exclusive celebrations.