Imagine, if you will, stone-age people. They settled here some 5000 years before Christ. They recognized the strategic advantage of this very spot. Today we stand before Zitadelle Cyriaksburg. It is a fortress with a rich history.
The Zitadelle Cyriaksburg has transformed over centuries. It started as a strategic point. Later it became a vital fortress. The Cyriaksburg is located on the Cyriaksberg. It is a 265-meter-high hill. This hill is in the southwest of Erfurt.
Let’s journey back to the 12th century. A Benedictine nunnery, the Cyriakskloster, stood here. It was named after Saint Cyriakus. Initially, the monastery was founded around 743 near the Severikirche. This was on the Domberg. Later, it was moved to the Cyriaksberg.
Fast forward to between 1480 and 1604. The city of Erfurt built the Cyriaksburg. Its purpose was to strengthen the city’s defense. It was meant to protect against attacks from the west.
During the Thirty Years’ War, the Swedish King Gustav Adolf II recognized the Cyriaksburg strategic importance. In 1631, he ordered its expansion into a citadel. The Erfurt master builder Casper Vogell and the engineer Otto von Guericke were put in charge. They transformed the Cyriaksburg into a formidable stronghold.
After Erfurt was captured in 1664, the Cyriaksburg lost importance. The Zitadelle Petersberg was erected. The Cyriaksburg’s role diminished.
In 1802, Prussian troops occupied Erfurt including the Cyriaksburg. They found the Zitadelle Cyriaksburg in poor condition. Little was done to improve it initially. French troops then occupied the citadel. They were searching for treasure. According to legend, the treasure was walled up in its walls. They caused considerable damage.
In 1815, the Zitadelle Cyriaksburg came under Prussian control. It served as a fortification until 1871. In 1873, Kaiser Wilhelm I ordered its decommissioning. The city of Erfurt purchased the Cyriaksberg in 1919. It transformed it into a municipal garden.
From 1961, the area hosted international horticultural exhibitions. This led to the creation of today’s egapark Erfurt. Since 1995, extensive renovations have been carried out. Today, the Zitadelle Cyriaksburg houses the German Horticultural Museum.
Two imposing towers still stand. They are reminders of the earlier fortress from 1528 and 1530. The southern tower now serves as a viewing platform. It offers panoramic views of Erfurt. The northern tower houses an observatory.
The Zitadelle Cyriaksburg has witnessed sieges and transformations. It evolved from a monastery to a fortress. Today it is a museum and a garden. It stands as a testament to Erfurt’s strategic importance. The Zitadelle Cyriaksburg is still a landmark.