Banqueting Hall @museum.de

The present banqueting hall was restored and enlarged a few years ago. It serves as a venue for concerts, lectures and other cultural events held at the palace. And if couples fancy tying the knot in festive surroundings, well, they’re most welcome. On specific dates, the town of Radeberg performs civil wedding ceremonies in the hall.

Like the palace itself, the hall has undergone continuous change over the centuries. The long wall with the windows was originally part of the inner castle wall. Take a look out of the window – we’re right above the equestrian staircase. During the remodelling work carried out by Duke Moritz of Saxony, the solid wall was knocked through and large windows in the Renaissance style were added.

None other than Elector Moritz himself once used these delightful rooms, which are awash with light.

If you look at your screen now, you can see a ground plan of the upper floor. The south wing – in other words the part of the building at the bottom – consisted of a succession of grand rooms. When Elector Moritz established this sequence of rooms at Klippenstein Palace, he introduced a lifestyle befitting his rank and in tune with the times.

In the centre of the ground plan, you can see a space labelled “Lange Stubenn” (long room) – that’s the dining hall. Next to it on the right are the elector’s own rooms: a “Camer”, or chamber, which included a toilet niche, and a handsome “room of our most gracious lord” – which was the bedroom. These days, it’s a bright, pleasant room decorated with hunting trophies that can be booked for parties.

On the opposite side of the dining hall were the rooms used by Elector Moritz’s wife, Agnes. She also had several rooms at her disposal, the largest of which is labelled as “Frawen-Zimmer” – ladies’ chamber. Unfortunately, there’s no access to these rooms – as they’re currently being used as offices.

The present banqueting hall consists of the old dining hall and the adjoining chamber on the left.

In the 18th century, the hall was thoroughly remodelled: the ceiling height was reduced, the wooden passage giving access was replaced by a stone passage, and the double doors were added. Most recently, the palace restoration following German reunification fundamentally changed the hall’s appearance yet again.