Lobdeburg: Bringing Jena's history to life

The city's own municipal real estate company, Kommunale Immobilien Jena (KIJ), is starting extensive renovation work on the grounds of Jena's Lobdeburg Castle from today. Lobdeburg Castle, first mentioned in 1166 and now only a ruin, has been restored in several construction phases since 1995 and is now also to be upgraded in the grounds.

The aim is to make the castle complex fully accessible to the public and thus make history tangible. As part of the upcoming landscaping work, not only will suitable vegetation be planted and paths designed, but walkways and elevated steps will also be built on the slope. In future, the cistern tower can be accessed via an external staircase as a new viewing platform with a view over the castle grounds and the town. In the course of the work, historic sections of wall will also be cut out and benches installed to invite visitors to linger.

The planning work for this ambitious project has been underway for around a year. It was a challenge to find suitable companies for the tender. In summer 2024, a consortium (ARGE) consisting of an architect, landscape planner and structural engineer was formed, which is now starting to implement the project.

Swiss walking excavator in action

The renovation work will begin next week with the necessary clearing of the overgrown bushes. A Swiss walking excavator will be used for this, a state-of-the-art machine that is characterized by its flexibility and all-terrain mobility and is ideal for clearing rough terrain. The clearing work will take 2-3 days, after which the construction site will be set up, followed by the first natural stone and metal construction work. Completion of the outdoor area is planned for November this year. The hiking trails around the castle complex will remain accessible during the work.

JenaKultur is developing a new signage system for the area in parallel and in cooperation with the team from the Lower Monument Protection Authority, which will provide important and interesting information about the castle complex. The nature conservation authority, the city forest and the Lobdeburg-Gemeinde 1912 e.V. association, which is dedicated to preserving the Lobdeburg ruins, were also involved in the planning.

KIJ is investing around 450,000 euros in the renovation measures.

"With this measure, we not only want to contribute to the enhancement of the castle complex, but also jointly enrich the city's tourist offerings," says Tilo Peißker, KIJ's Head of Cultural Real Estate. "We see it as an important task not only to create something new, but also to preserve values for our city."