The Kriebstein Room

A gem at Kriebstein Castle is the Kriebstein Room. It5 is a uniquely preserved colored planked room dating from the first thirds of the 15th century. The room, which is 3 by 4.50 m (about 10 by 15 ft), is on the third floor of the residential tower.

Both the planked ceiling and the three planked walls are richly decorated with flowers and tendrils, the scene on the plinth has been painted as curtain murals, and the solid outer wall shows figurative depictions of the Holy Saint of Christophorus and the pilgrims. The highlight of the paintings is the Annunciation scene according to the Gospel of Luke on the long, planked wall.

After Baron von Arnim had transferred the three planked walls to the Dresden Royal Museum of Arts and Crafts in 1902, they were presented there as a precious example of late-Gothic interior design. Kept safe from the destructions of war and not accessible by the public for long, it eventually returned to Kriebstein Castle in 1997. Upon the restoration of the complete room at its original site, an unusual gem of medieval interior design was created.

We are grateful to the German Foundation of Monumental Preservation for generously supporting this project.