“A hilltop vineyard, can you imagine?” a voice whispers from the past. We stand before Haus Wettinhöhe, once known simply as Landeskrone. This hilltop in Zitzschewig, part of Radebeul, has held a vineyard since the 15th century. Haus Wettinhöhe itself started as a modest winery, a humble Winzerhaus. The very core of the building you see before you today. Over time, it evolved, becoming a Berggasthaus, a mountain inn offering respite and refreshment.
Haus Wettinhöhe takes its name from the Wettin family, a lineage deeply entwined with Saxon history. The name Wettins Höhe, or Wettin’s Height, became associated with this hilltop around 1758. By the mid-19th century, the estate included not just the vineyard and Winzerhaus but also a wine press, a wooded area, fields, and newly cultivated vineyard land. A bustling hub of viticultural activity.
In 1858, Carl Gottlob Wackwitz, then owner, added a Weinschänke, a wine tavern, complete with a dance hall attached to the main house. He even built the Conradsturm, a tower of which only remnants remain. The transformation continued. In 1867, innkeeper Carl Heinrich Berger expanded the tavern, creating the square-shaped restaurant building that forms the central structure of today’s Haus Wettinhöhe. That very year saw the grand opening of the Himmelsleiter, the “stairway to heaven,” a steep vineyard staircase that ascends directly to the Haus.
The Haus Wettinhöhe we see now is largely the result of a grand vision realized by Alfred Piper, a Prussian official. In 1879, Piper commissioned the renowned Ziller brothers, master builders of the region, to transform his 1875 acquisition into what he called “Schloss Wettinhöhe,” or Wettinhöhe Castle. The Zillers added the two-pointed tower on the west side and the east wing. They also constructed the valley-facing perimeter wall, complete with corner turrets and a grand arched gateway bearing Piper’s initials and the year 1880. Sadly, around 1890, fire ravaged the newly renovated building. After its reconstruction, Haus Wettinhöhe housed an inn, then a family guesthouse. From 1900 to 1903, it served as a specialized institute for diabetics.
The 20th century brought further changes. In 1916, the local health insurance fund acquired Haus Wettinhöhe. In 1935, it became part of a men’s convalescent home and later served as a lung hospital and a hospital for prisoners of war. After World War II, it continued as a hospital, then part of a tuberculosis sanatorium, a retirement home, and finally a doctors’ office.
In 1997, Haus Wettinhöhe underwent extensive renovations, restoring its former glory. The once fire-damaged ceilings, intricate woodwork, and brass fittings were painstakingly recreated based on historical records. Today, Haus Wettinhöhe stands as a testament to its rich and varied past. From humble winery to grand “castle,” inn, hospital, and now elegant residential apartments, it has weathered storms both literal and figurative. As you gaze upon it, imagine the echoes of laughter, music, and the clinking of glasses that once filled its halls. A silent toast to the enduring legacy of Haus Wettinhöhe.