Moritzburg Castle is one of the most spectacular castles in the Saxony region of Germany.
Located only 10.5 miles (17km) north of Dresden, a day trip to Moritzburg Castle from Dresden is easily accessible by bus and train and is a must-do in the region.
In this post, you will find the best things to do at Moritzburg Castle, how to get there from Dresden, and how to make the most out of your day trip.
About Moritzburg Castle
Moritzburg Castle was originally built as a hunting lodge between 1542 and 1546 by Duke Moritz of Saxony – whom the castle is now named after. The building was designed in a Renaissance style and was a popular hunting spot for many members of the nobility in the region.
Later, in the early 18th century, Elector Augustus the Strong transformed the lodge into an opulent Baroque style palace with over 200 rooms and 7 halls. The palace was decorated with deer antlers, feather tapestries, and real leather wallpaper, as it still is today.
Over the next couple hundred years, the castle grounds were expanded to include the Pheasant Castle and a lighthouse.
Today, the castle is decorated with many of the original Baroque decorations and artifacts from the time of Augustus the Strong.
We personally loved walking around the beautiful castle grounds and the surrounding forest.
Day Trip to Moritzburg Castle: Best Things To Do
To make the most out of your time at Moritzburg Castle, I would recommend getting an audio guide. The plaques and descriptions in the rooms and exhibits are only in German, so it is helpful to have the English audio guide to learn as you go through the castle.
Here are the best things to do on your day trip to Moritzburg Castle.
The Dining Hall
In my opinion, the dining hall is the most grand of all the rooms. The walls are covered in an impressive collection of red deer antlers that are between 270-400 years old. This includes the world’s heaviest red deer antlers weighing in at over 40 pounds.
Porcelain Collection
Augustus the Strong was an avid porcelain collector. Here you will find his collection of porcelain from Asia and the nearby town of Meissen, which was known for creating some of the world’s best porcelain.
The Porcelain Collection can only be viewed on a guided tour and during the summer season. We opted to go on a day trip to Meissen to see porcelain instead of doing the guided tour of the collection at Moritzburg Castle.
Feather Room
The most extravagant of all of the rooms is the feather room. This room features a canopy bed and several tapestries that are made of 2 million feathers delicately woven together. Impressive, right?
These feathered masterpieces were restored over the course of several years, so visitors can enjoy the exquisite details and craftsmanship of these works of art.
The Leather Tapestries
The largest collection of Baroque leather tapestries resides at Moritzburg castle. These are all hand-painted and date back to the 17th century. You’ll also walk through several rooms that are covered in gold gilded leather wallpaper that are impressive to look at.
Castle Chapel
The Catholic chapel inside of Moritzburg castle was built in 1661 and still holds services to this day. I loved the simplicity of the chapel with hints of Baroque architecture.
Castle Park
The park behind the castle was originally intended to be built as a French-styled garden by Augustus the Strong. However, he died before its completion and has remained unfinished ever since.
Even though the park is still lovely to walk through, they plan to eventually reconstruct the park to look like the original 18th century French garden design.
Little Pheasant Castle
The Little Pheasant Castle is a mini palace located on the property of Moritzburg castle and is designed in Rococo style. The interior of the castle was restored between 2010 – 2013 to preserve the incredible chinoiserie and Rococo-style artifacts and tapestries.
The Pheasant Castle is about a 30-minute walk through the forest from Moritzburg castle.
To visit the inside of the castle, you have to sign up for a guided tour. The website recommends emailing for group tours ahead of time.
We didn’t have time to visit the Pheasant Castle, but the photos of the interior look incredible. As a Rococo-style art lover, I would definitely make time to visit if we are in the area again.
Guided tours are available from May to October every hour on the hour. It is open Monday – Friday from 10:00 am to 5:00pm. You can find more information about your visit to the Little Pheasant Castle here.
Walk Around the Lake
There are a road and walking path around the lake surrounding the castle. After visiting Moritzburg Castle, we took a nice stroll around the lake to enjoy some lovely views of the castle.
How to Get to Moritzburg Castle from Dresden
Moritzburg Castle is located ~ 10.5 miles (17km) from Dresden. The quickest way to get to Moritzburg Castle from Dresden is by car – it’s about a 25-30 minute drive. It is also easily accessible by bus and by a steam train within 30 minutes to an hour.
Getting there by bus
From Dresden Neustadt station, take bus 477 in the direction of Radeburg to Moritzburg. The castle is just a quick walk from the bus stop in Moritzburg.
We got to the train station early and bought our bus tickets at the Neustadt station. The bus stop is just outside the front of the station.
Price: €4.50 one way/ €9 round trip. You can see the full timetable here.
Getting there by steam train
The steam train runs daily throughout the year from Radebeul to Moritzburg.
To reach the steam train, you will need to take the S1 line on the Dresden S-Bahn to Radebeul Ost station – this journey takes around 9 minutes from the Dresden Neustadt station. You can also catch the S1 train from the Dresden Hauptbanhoff and Dresden Mitte station.
If it’s easier for you, then you can take Dresden tram line 4 to get to Radebeul Ost. Check the timetable on the VVO site for the best route from where you are staying.
Once you arrive in Radebeul Ost, you will find the steam train waiting there since it is the first stop on the line. You can purchase tickets directly from the conductor – they only allow cash payments – no credit card payments. Check the timetable before your journey because the train only runs a few times per day.
The journey takes about 30 minutes from Radebuel Ost to Moritzburg. It’s a quick walk from the station to the castle.
Price: €7.30 one way/ €13.60 round trip for adults
Plan Your Visit to Moritzburg Castle
Moritzburg Castle is open year round, with the exception of 3 weeks in November when it is closed to the public.
During the summer season, April – October, the castle is open from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm every day except Monday.
Price: €10 for adults
Audio tour: €2
During the winter season, end of November – February, the castle is open fro 10:00 am – 5:00 pm every day except Monday. The Baroque Exhibition and Feather room are closed during the winter season.
Price: €8 for adults
Audio tour: €2
You can purchase your tickets upon arrival. There was no line when we arrived and we got right in. If you plan on doing a guided tour of the castle or of the Little Pheasant Castle, then I would recommend emailing ahead of time to see if you need to reserve a spot ahead of time, especially on a weekend.
You can find more information about opening times, ticket prices, and contact information here.
How Much Time?
I would plan on spending one hour inside of the castle and another 2 hours on the property. Whether that includes visiting the Little Pheasant Castle, walking around the lake, or walking on a path through the forest. There are plenty of activities to fill up your day in Moritzburg.
If you are driving, you can combine your day trip to Moritzburg with a trip to Meissen. It’s only about 17 minutes away by car and is a charming town worth visiting in the area. You would have plenty of time to see both in one day.
I wouldn’t suggest going to Meissen from Moritzburg Castle if you are traveling by bus or train. You will have to go back into Dresden and then catch the train to Meissen from Dresden.
Let us know if you have any questions or comments about your day trip to Moritzburg in the comments below!
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