Ziesar Markets the Middle Ages

The “Bishop’s Mitre” is visible for miles around. The white capped tower forms part of the former Bishop’s Residence in the castle of Ziesar in the district of Potsdam-Mittelmark.

Ziesar might not have been the centre of the world in the middle ages, but bishops were issuing their decrees and ordinances from here at a time when the German capital Berlin was just flat marshland. In fact there was even a “direct axis” between Ziesar and Rome.

First mentioned in official documents in 948, from the mid 12th to the 16th century Ziesar was the seat of the Bishops of Brandenburg. Most people still think that the history of Brandenburg began with the Great Prince Elector Friedrich Wilhelm and the rise of Prussia as a major European power. But this is simply a popular misconception that needs to be changed. Because what Potsdam is for the history of Prussia, Ziesar is for the time before. And that is why the old castle at Ziesar is being converted into a cultural centre and permanent exhibition space.

“Paths to the Heavenly City” – to give the exhibition its proper title – explores the history of the Bishop’s Residence and a thousand years of Christianity in Brandenburg. 21 rooms spread over three floors with a total surface of 1.000 square meters offer fascinating insights into the highways and byways of this largely forgotten time.

Apart from providing the permanent exhibition, the museum is also engaged in research into the history of Ziesar. Even a preliminary excavation into the so-called “dark ages” has brought some fascinating finds to light. For instance, in the living quarters of the bishop archaeologists discovered a wood-fired underfloor heating system from the 15th century. Another attraction is the castle’s chapel with its roof of intricate and vividly painted ribs and tracery work.

The painted dome and murals are in a near perfect state of preservation and turn the interior of the church into a veritable Garden of Eden. The chapel and the Bishop’s residences rank among the most important examples of late medieval architecture.

As the curator of the museum, Clemens Bergstedt, enthusiastically comments, “You can comb the whole of Northern Germany without finding another building that can compare to this one in terms of its architectural importance and quality of preservation.”

Many of the murals were whitewashed over in the wake of the German Reformation and only came to light again in 1860 when the paint began to peel off. The castle served as a residence for the Prince Elector’s widow and during the GDR it did service as a boarding school. Nowadays when former pupils like the composer Georg Katzer or TV anchorman Karsten Schwanke visit, they are full of admiration for the huge change that has come over their old “crammer” thanks to the extensive renovation programme that will still take a few years before it is finally completed. Funding of approx. Euro 5.2 million has been provided with the European Union covering half the costs. The World Monuments Fund in New York is giving additional funding for the restoration of the chapel – further proof of the key historical importance of the site which is expected to attract around 15.000 visitors a year once work is completed.