Schloss Wolfenbüttel

The Schloss Wolfenbüttel is a castle in the town of Wolfenbüttel in Lower Saxony in Germany. As an extensive four-wing complex, it originated as a moated castle. It is the second-largest surviving schloss in Lower Saxony and served as the main residence for the Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel between 1432 and 1753. It is now used by a secondary school, the Federal Academy of Arts Education and a museum. In the immediate vicinity are the Herzog August Bibliothek, the Lessinghaus, the Zeughaus and the Kleine Schloss.

It was first recorded in 1074 and was built as a fort on the river Oker by Widekind of Wolfenbüttel. In the Oker marshes there was already a small settlement known as Wulferisbuttle, sited on a trade route between the Rhine and Elbe and the bishoprics of Halberstadt and Hildesheim, used by both merchants and pilgrim monks. Gunzelin of Wolfenbüttel refused to swear allegiance to Albert I of Brunswick in 1255 and so the latter destroyed the fort, though it was rebuilt by Henry I of Brunswick-Grubenhagen in 1283. The current plan of the castle, its moat and the lower levels and dungeon of the keep all date to Henry's time.

In 1350 it became the Welfs' residence in Brunswick. It was captured and destroyed in 1542 by the Schmalkaldic League and rebuilding only began in 1553 under Duke Henry the Younger, who created a new residence and converted the old tower into a castle chapel. In 1575 courtyards were added with Italianate arcades.

In 1595 the Protestant composer Michael Praetorius became private secretary to Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg - he lived in the castle and as court organist is also known to have played the castle organ, completed in 1596. Henry Julius also founded Germany's first indoor permanent theatre in the castle, with an English troupe of actors, making the town the birthplace of German theatre. The castle previously had more towers, some of whose foundations still survive. The Hausmannsturm was built in the Renaissance style in 1613 by Paul Francke - it was the castle's tallest tower and still stands today.

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