Mosigkau Castle and Castle Park

Prince Leopold I of Anhalt-Dessau, the “Old Dessauer”, had given his favorite daughter Anna Wilhelmine of Anhalt-Dessau (1715–1780) the estates on which the castle was built as a summer residence. In contrast to representative baroque palace complexes, Mosigkau Castle was an outwardly rather reserved retreat for the art-loving prince’s daughter. Inside, all the greater splendor could unfold. Mosigkau Castle is often referred to as “little Sanssouci”. It is one of the few surviving Rococo sites in Central Germany.

Even though Christian Friedrich Damm supervised the construction work, the designs may have come from the Prussian master builder Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff. Even the single princess, who was relieved of many duties of representation, probably helped shape the structure of the complex.

Anna Wilhelmine established a rich social life in a village setting at the gates of Dessau. In 24 rooms, the equipment is partly preserved in its original condition. The highlight is the gallery hall with magnificent specimens of Flemish and Dutch painting, which are closely embedded in recessed wall panels. On display are works by Peter Paul Rubens and Jan Brueghel the Elder, among others. Probably the most famous painting is by Anthonis van Dyck and shows the childlike Wilhelm II of Orange-Nassau. Numerous portraits of Princes of Anhalt are also part of the castle’s collection.

Compared to other courtly conventions, life at Mosigkau Castle was probably rather informal. The garden played a decisive role in this. Here festivals took place, plays were performed, carousels were set up – one indulged in the hide-and-seek game in the maze. During the princess’s lifetime and completely from 1805, the Rococo park was transformed into an English landscape garden according to the ideals of Prince Franz. This resulted in the orangeries with citrus plants, some of which are over 150 years old, as well as the extensively restored Chinese House, which are positioned like gatehouses at the entrance.