Visit Birken Palace ("Schloss Birken") in Bayreuth.
From the hunting lodge . . .
Between the city center and the university is located on a small hill the castle Birken in the district of the same name. It was first mentioned in documents in 1459 as a house on the “Pircken“. Hereditary Prince Erdmann Augustus of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (1615–51) built the Birken hunting lodge after 1647.
In 1686 Margrave Christian Ernst of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (1644/1661 – 1712) donated his hunting lodge Birken to his Oberhofmarschall Hans Wilhelm von Erffa, together with his estate and the associated lands.
He demolished the old hunting lodge and instead built a new building according to plans by the Margrave architect Charles Philippe Dieussart. The heavy baroque white stucco ceilings in the staircase and in the first-floor representation rooms were designed between 1689 and 1692 by the Italian Bernardo Quadri, who already created stucco ceilings in early margrave and aristocratic churches in the region.
Under Prime Minister Erdmann Freiherr von Stein, Schloss Birken experienced its heyday in 1724–39. During the summer months, the castle is the permanent residence of the Margrave Minister. In the Audience Hall he receives court officials, envoys and petitioners. In addition to large court hunts in the estates, splendid festivals take place in the Baroque Hall. Margrave Wilhelmine (1709–1758) and Margrave Friedrich (1711/1735–1763) were often guests. In 1740, Birken Castle was transferred to the Baron von Stein‘schen Stiftung, the days of hunting lodge were over. Margrave Friedrich prefers to ride along the extended Friedrichstraße past birches to the hunting grounds Thiergarten and from 1756/57 prefers the new construction of the hunting lodge in Kaiserhammer and the wild Fichtelgebirge.
. . . to the Stein’s Foundation and to the private property
Castle Birken remained in the possession of the Baron von Stein‘schen Stiftung until 1956. Baroness Christiane Charlotte von Stein decrees in the letter of foundation that: “from my intended wealth . . . always four poor noble widows or young lady are provided with accommodation, food and maintenance on the Birken, four other poor civic widows from the local town but also standing in the houses in front of the Birken Palace . . . are provided with accommodation and food . . . !”
From 1956 to 1975, the castle became the private residence of the von Hoesslin families and from 1975 it became the private residence of the Peter Rothenbücher family. Since 1979 it has been known nationally as the art auction house P. Rothenbücher KG.
Guided tours
A public tour of Birken Castle (in German) takes place every first Saturday of the month at 2 p.m. (starting in May 2026, there are currently no public tours).
For groups of 6 or more, a guided tour is possible year-round by prior arrangement.
More information: Tel.: +49 163 6720476
Text: Peter Rothenbücher
