FORTE CULTURA Station: Torgau Fortress System (DE)
Torgau and Hartenfels Castle
Experience living history in the Saxon Elbe and state fortress!
The Renaissance town of Torgau with Hartenfels Castle was the political centre of the Reformation in Germany in the 16th century. Already heavily fortified in the 17th century as a Saxon Elbe and state fortress, Torgau was expanded into a major fortress system from 1810 as a member of the Confederation of the Rhine on Napoleon's orders. From 1813, the Prussians finally developed Torgau into a Prussian river and border fortress in the Prussian style against Saxony.
Already heavily fortified in the 17th century as a Saxon Elbe and state fortress, Torgau was expanded into a major fortress system from 1810 as a member of the Confederation of the Rhine on Napoleon's orders. After Napoleon's disastrous Russian campaign in 1812 and his defeat in the Battle of Leipzig in 1813, Torgau was besieged and finally taken by the Prussians. They turned it into a Prussian river and border fortress in the Prussian style against Saxony. However, with the development of explosive grenades at the end of the 19th century, the fortifications became ineffective and the fortress status was abandoned in 1889.
Subsequently, parts of Torgau's fortifications such as Fort Zinna and the bridgehead barracks became notorious prison sites during the Nazi era and in the post-war period until 1950. Exhibitions and memorials at various locations provide information about this dark chapter in the town's history. Fort Zinna is still a prison site today.
Discover the historic old town of Torgau with FORTE CULTURA, with over 500 monuments from the late Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods. Together with the preserved fortifications and the fortified Hartenfels Castle, they form an urban ensemble that is unique in Europe. The town of Torgau is also a stop on the international Elbe cycle path, on Luther Trail in Saxony and at the The Wettin princely road.
Learn the Torgau fortress system on the Elbe know:
Torgau was a Major fortress systemconsisting of the town fortifications, outer forts and the fortified Hartenfels Castle.
Fortified Hartenfels Castle
Hartenfels Castle, built in the Renaissance style, has been the setting for various historically significant events over the centuries. Names such as Martin Luther, the Electors Frederick the Wise and John Frederick the Magnanimous, Tsar Peter I and artists such as Lucas Cranach and Heinrich Schütz are closely associated with its history. The bear pit, which has been in operation in Torgau since 1452, is still home to two brown bears.
When Torgau Fortress was built in 1811, the castle was also converted into a fortified defence system. The Lapidarium in the remarkable vaults under the Lower Court Parlour provides an insight into the building history of the castle. In the exhibition "Standfest.Bibelfest.Trinkfest." in the former electoral chambers is not only about the life of the electors at Hartenfels Castle over 500 years ago, but also about Torgau's time as a fortress.
Cultural bastion
The town was also fortified with 8 bastions as part of the fortress expansion by the French from 1810. The bastions had flank casemates, bomb-proof rooms in the lateral bastion boundaries. The right flank casemate of the former bastion II has had many uses since then, mostly as storage.
In 2005, today's Kulturbastion with youth centre was finally built. It welcomes many thousands of visitors every year with its extensive cultural programme of cinema, concerts, cabaret, readings and much more.
Fort Zinna
Fort Zinna, built by the French in 1811, was an independent outwork of the Torgau fortress. When Torgau lost its fortress status, it was converted into a prison in 1890. Initially a military prison for the Prussian army, officers taken prisoner of war were interned here during the First World War. From 1919 it was a civilian prison, from 1933 a prison for political opponents of National Socialism and from 1936 a Wehrmacht prison. From 1945-48, the Soviet occupying forces used the fort as a special camp. From 1950, the former fort belonged to the penal system of the GDR and from 1989 to the FRG.
There is a memorial at the fort for the victims of Nazi military justice, the Soviet occupation and GDR criminal justice. The Torgau Memorial Centre maintains a permanent exhibition in Hartenfels Castle.
Fort Brückenkopf with defence barracks
As early as the early 17th century, a bridge redoubt was built on the eastern side of the Elbe as part of the Saxon state fortress of Torgau. It was repeatedly reinforced and extended by the French in 1811-13 and then by the Prussians as a bridgehead with defence barracks. During the Second World War, this area was also used as a military prison.
Today, Fort Brückenkopf and the remaining buildings are run by the IG Rock e.V. organisation. 10 rehearsal rooms are available for local music groups and the site is used for concerts.
Fortified railway bridge
The single-track railway bridge over the Elbe was built in 1872 as part of the construction of the Halle-Cottbus line by the Halle-Sorau-Gubener Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft. Gate structures were erected at both ends of the approximately 350 metre long bridge. The Zwethau lunette, which was built in 1811-13, is also located directly on the railway line on the east side.
In 1996/97, the old bridge was replaced by a single-track tied arch bridge. The tin towers made of natural stone were removed and rebuilt at intervals of 12.25 metres.
Grenadier Battalion von Spiegel e.V. Torgau
- Guided tours to the many parts of the fortress that still exist today
- Adventure tour with a "real-life grenadier" from the Saxon army
- socialising with the Grenadiers with food and drink, music, dancing
- Adventurous and educational children's activities and bivouacs
Torgau Information Centre
Information, city tours, regional shop
Cultural bastion
Cinema, concerts, cabaret, readings, light show and much more.
Place of remembrance Torgau
Remembrance and commemoration of the victims of the Nazi era, the NKVD and the GDR regime in Torgau, exhibition at Hartenfels Castle
Elbe cycle and hiking trail
Torgau section
Torgau Fortress
Torgau's strategic location on the Elbe with its Elbe crossing has always made the town important but also vulnerable to attack. The medieval town wall in the 11th/12th century was the first step towards protecting the town. Declared a Saxon state fortress at the beginning of the 17th century, the bridge entrenchment and the city wall already existed as the structure of a fortress.
Napoleon elevated Torgau to a military base on the Elbe in 1810 for his Russian campaign and ordered extensive expansion measures according to plans by General Ernst Ludwig von Aster (then still a captain).
As a Prussian Elbe and border fortress, Torgau Fortress underwent its most extensive expansion between 1814 and 1889 to become a large-scale fortification system. At the end there is the main works with eight bastions and three ravelins, in front of which are floodable ditches and the glacis, plus outer works (bridgehead, three lock lunettes, five lunettes, two forts and the new works with fuse factory. Fort Mahla was demolished in 1878. In 1889, with the advent of new explosive grenades, the fortifications became ineffective and the fortress status was cancelled.
The facilities of Torgau Fortress have largely been preserved and are partially accessible. The flank casemate of Bastion II, the tin towers of the railway bridge and the Upper Harbour Gate have been renovated. The single-track railway bridge over the Elbe was built in 1872 as part of the construction of the Halle-Cottbus line by the Halle-Sorau-Gubener Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft. Gate structures were erected at both ends of the approximately 350 metre long bridge. The Zwethau lunette, which was built in 1811-13, is also located directly on the railway line on the east side.
In 1996/97, the old bridge was replaced by a single-track tied arch bridge. The tin towers made of natural stone were removed and rebuilt at intervals of 12.25 metres.
Hartenfels Castle
The former medieval castle complex underwent extensive remodelling between 1485 and 1546. As a successor to Meissen Albrechtsburg Castle, Hartenfels Castle laid important design and construction foundations for modern residential castles in central Germany and its Renaissance character was a model for many 16th century castle buildings. The Great Spiral Stone in particular, a self-supporting staircase spindle without a centre column, a masterpiece by master builder Konrad Krebs, set standards in European architecture. The Lapidarium in the remarkable vaults under the Lower Court Room provides an insight into the building history of the palace.
The following master builders/architects had a significant influence on the development of Torgau Fortress:
- Wilhelm Schäffer, called Dilich (1625),
- Engineer officer Hans Kuffer and master builder Wolf Caspar von Klengel (1658 to 1680),
- Lieutenant Engineer Egidius G. Francke (1745),
- Ernst Ludwig von Aster (1809),
- Ludwig von Lecoq (1811).
Elbe hiking and cycling trail
Varied natural panoramas in combination with culture, art, history and architecture, the Elbe Cycle Route is well-known to cyclists and hikers far beyond the state's borders. The Renaissance town of Torgau is a popular stage destination with many historical and cultural highlights. Hartenfels Castle offers a marvellous view over the course of the Elbe.
Large pond Torgau
The largest pond in Saxony, covering 1.75 square kilometres, is located in the south-west of Torgau and, as a local recreation and nature reserve, is a wetland area of national importance and a popular destination for nature lovers. The Torgau campsite and the "Biberhof Torgau" nature conservation centre are located here in an idyllic setting directly on the shore. The educational centre offers permanent exhibitions on native wildlife, nesting boxes, nesting aids and more.
Events at Torgau Fortress
Contact us
Torgau Information Centre
Market 1, 04860 Torgau
Phone: +49 (0)3421 70140
Web: www.torgau-tourismus.de
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Cultural ribbon
fortified monuments
on the Elbe river
From its source in the Czech Giant Mountains to its mouth in the North Sea near Cuxhaven, the Elbe river connects 1091 kilometres of magnificent cultural landscapes.
Conquer the FORTE CULTURA Elbe fortresses and discover the region from a new perspective.
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