DE 
Thuringian Castle Days at Pentecost
“Performed! Traveling People and Court Theater” –
May 22 to 25, 2026
From May 22 to 25, 2026 , the Thuringian Castle Days will be held under the motto “Performed! Traveling People and Court Theater.”The residences of the treasury will become stages for jugglers, court actresses, musicians, and large-scale productions.
The focus is on the everyday lives of traveling artists, whose stage life took place beyond their permanent residences. Tensions between mobility, privilege, and proximity to the audience become apparent: Who decides who is allowed to see? What stories do the stages of streets, gardens, and courtyards tell? A journey through music, dance, theater, and visual arts that blurs boundaries and creates new connections. Immerse yourself in spontaneous impulses, historical finds, and contemporary reflections on movement, representation, and community.
Look forward to special tours, performances in historic rooms, concerts, and hands-on activities for the whole family. The 2026 Thuringian Castle Days show how theater can not only entertain, but also reflect, connect, and move society.
Coming soon
May 14–17, 2027
Turned on!
Water, light, and heat in the castle
June 2–4, 2028
Trumped!
Enjoyment of the game & pastime
Program overview
Friday, May 22, 2026
11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
The court in the spotlight – halls and churches as venues
Guided tour
Informative tour of the castle and castle church (with organ music played from CD)
3 EUR plus museum admission Castle Museum
2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Card Theater
While passing through, you can print playing cards or your own theater tickets.
5 EUR per person Card-making workshop
Saturday, May 23, 2026
11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
The court in the spotlight – halls and churches as venues
Guided tour
Informative tour of the castle and castle church (with organ music played from CD)
3 EUR plus museum admission Castle Museum
5:00 p.m.
Organ Concert
Concert
with Pier Damiano Peretti (Vienna)
15 EUR / 17 EUR Gallery / 10 EUR reduced Castle Church
3:00 p.m.
Leipzig Antiquarian Book and Art Shop
Charity art auction
with Dr. Ulbricht
Das Museum Schloß Burgk lädt gemeinsam mit dem Leipziger Buch- und Kunstantiquariat zu einer Benefiz-Kunstauktion ein. Versteigert werden Gemälde, Zeichnungen und Grafiken der „Leipziger Schule“, von Künstlern des Bauhauses und von anderen Künstlern wie Max Klinger, Gerhard Marcks, Wolfgang Mattheuer, Werner Tübke, Joan Miró, Armin Müller-Stahl, Marc Chagall, Joseph Beuys. Die Vorbesichtigung ist ab 11 Uhr am Auktionstermin möglich.
Admission to the art auction is included in the museum admission fee.
8 EUR / 6 EUR reduced / free for children and students up to 13th grade Knights' hall
11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
The Baroque Magic Stage
Theater tour
Ein besonderes Kleinod in Schloss Friedenstein ist das Ekhof-Theater im Westturm, das zweitälteste barocke Theater der Welt mit weitgehend erhaltener Bühnenmaschinerie. Der Besuch gibt einen Einblick in die besondere Technik und die barocken „Special Effects“, die von Menschenhand bedient werden müssen. Neben Erläuterungen zu diesen Einmaligkeiten wird auch die Theatergeschichte lebendig
Please register at service@friedenstein-stiftung.de .
6 EUR / 3 EUR reduced Meeting point: castle ticket office
7:00 p.m.
Opening concert of the Thuringia Philharmonic Gotha-Eisenach for the Ekhof Festival 2026 “Souvenir de Florence”
Chamber concert
with Alexey Stadler – Artist in Residence 2025/26
The Spohr Quartet of the Thuringia Philharmonic Gotha-Eisenach performs Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's “Souvenir de Florence” – String Sextet in D minor, Op. 70, and Johannes Brahms' String Sextet No. 1 in B flat major, Op. 18.
Kartenreservierung unter www.ticketshop-thueringen.de
from 30 EUR Ekhof-Theater
5:00 p.m. (introduction at 4:30 p.m.)
The Accomplices
Play
Comedy by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Tickets: theaterkasse@liebhabertheater.com
45 euros Liebhabertheater Kochberg Castle
Sunday, May 24, 2026
11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
An emperor, many canons and the remains of an important monastery complex
Exhibition
On your tour of the Red Spires, you will learn more about almost 800 years of architectural history.
5 EUR (combined ticket with the castle: 10 EUR) Rote Spitzen, Berggasse 15, 04600 Altenburg
11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
The court in the spotlight – halls and churches as venues
Guided tour
Informative tour of the castle and castle church (with organ music played from CD)
3 EUR plus museum admission Castle Museum
2:00 p.m.
The fantastic Gerhard Altenbourg – An exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of his birth
Guided tour of the special exhibition
with Dr. Silvia Schmitt-Maaß
4 EUR / 3 EUR reduced Prinzenpalais
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Finger Puppet Theater
Open workshop
A theater for your purse. With these homemade finger puppets, you can take your theater with you wherever you go.
with Halina Kirschner
5 EUR / 3 EUR reduced History Workshop
4:00 p.m.
Ernst II and Conrad Ekhof – The rebirth of court theater in Gotha and Altenburg
Lecture
with Marco Karthe
3 EUR plus museum admission Castle Museum
5:00 p.m.
Come hell or high water – baroque and classical treasures from musical theater
Concert in the Tea House Hall
with the Mercurius-Duo
Organizer: Teehaus Altenburg Förderverein e.V.
Advance ticket sales: tourist information Altenburger Land, Markt 1
12 EUR / 10 EUR in advance Tea House
4:00 p.m.
Little Red Riding Hood and Co.
Fairy tales for adults
with author and actor Achim Amme
Hamburg author, actor, and Ringelnatz Prize winner Achim Amme presents a fairy tale for adults. Achim Amme brings the story to life through the use of gestures, facial expressions, and intonation, promising an unusual fairy tale afternoon for adult visitors.
14 EUR / 12 EUR reduced Small hall
6:00 p.m.
Concert by the Vogtland Philharmonic Orchestra Greiz-Reichenbach
Concert
Knights' hall
11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Performed and staged, a theater with a special flair
Family event
Friedenstein Castle is home to a real gem: the Ekhof-Theater, which dazzles with its extraordinary stage technology from the Baroque period. Let's dive into the past with music and short stories about the theater and its actors.
Speaker: Heike Faber-Günther
Registration no later than 24 hours before the event or at: 03621 8234 550 or vermittlung@friedenstein-stiftung.de
6 EUR / 3 EUR reduced / Children under 13 free Meeting point: castle ticket office
Montag, 25. Mai 2026
11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
The court in the spotlight – halls and churches as venues
Guided tour
Informative tour of the castle and castle church (with organ music played from CD)
€3 plus museum admission Castle Museum
2:00 p.m.
Everyday life or theater? Staged life at court
Lecture
with Marco Karthe
3 EUR plus museum admission Castle Museum
11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
The Baroque Magic Stage
Theater tour
A special gem in Friedenstein Palace is the Ekhof-Theater in the west tower, the second oldest Baroque theater in the world with largely preserved stage machinery. A visit provides insight into the special technology and Baroque “special effects” that have to be operated by hand. In addition to explanations of these unique features, the history of the theater also comes to life.
Please register at service@friedenstein-stiftung.de .
6 EUR / 3 EUR reduced Meeting point: castle ticket office
11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Kochberg Castle, castle grounds, and a quick visit to the Liebhabertheater theater
Guided tour (90 min.)
Organizer: Klassik Stiftung Weimar
11:15 a.m.
Drawing like George II – Dinosaurs and Dragons
family program
Registration at 03693-881030 or besucherservice@meiningermuseen.de
8 EUR Museum shop on the 2nd floor
12:00 p.m.
The Duke's Hand Drawings – Dinosaurs and Dragons
Guided tour of the exhibition
with Dr. Almut Pollmer-Schmidt (art history)
Day ticket plus 2 EUR Museum shop on the 2nd floor
1:00 p.m.
Crafting stage sets
Registration at 03693-881030 or besucherservice@meiningermuseen.de
Museum shop on the 2nd floor
2:00 p.m.
Textile and theater storage facility
Guided tour
with Uta Imer (restoration) and Siegmund Arnold (depot manager)
Day ticket plus 2 EUR Museum shop on the 2nd floor
4:00 p.m.
Duke George of Saxe-Meiningen – A princely designer
Guided tour of the exhibition
with Dr. Almut Pollmer-Schmidt (art history) and Florian Beck (theater history)
Day ticket plus 2 EUR Museum shop on the 2nd floor
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
We want to offer you an all-round successful event experience. The program published here already gives an insight into the planned offerings. Further program items are currently still in preparation and will be added on an ongoing basis. As soon as new information is available, we will of course update it on this page.
However, program items, contributors, dates, or venues may change in exceptional cases. Please understand that we reserve the right to make appropriate adjustments. We will, of course, inform you of any important changes as early as possible via our usual channels.
Thank you for your understanding. We look forward to your visit.
Moments & highlights of the 2025 Thuringian Castles Days
The Thuringian Castle Days are a program of the Treasure Chamber of Thuringia - a cultural tourism brand in the association of 13 institutions with 20 residences. The aim is to make the cultural heritage of Thuringia's residences visible nationwide and to act as a reliable partner within the state's overall tourism strategy.
The joint brand "Schatzkammer Thüringen" is coordinated under the direction of the Friedenstein Foundation Gotha. As part of "Open Friedenstein!" the Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media is providing funding for this and other projects through the sponsorship of the Gotha Foundation.
