The romantic castle Kuckuckstein is still in medieval sleep. To this day, the meter-thick walls of the over 1000 year old walls are full of secrets. The castle was first mentioned in a document on September 4th, 1410.
The castle is enthroned on a gneiss rock about 30 m above the market place of Liebstadt. Below the castle in the valley are the former manor house and the castle garden. Above there are still remains of an English style landscape park. Via the castle stairs or the access road to the castle slope, the actual castle can be entered over a drawbridge. A narrow passageway leads to the large courtyard, which is formed by the "Tafelhaus" (main building) in the southwest, the "Wasserhaus" (water house) in the southeast and the kitchen building with battlement in the northeast.
The castle was built on four levels. The lowest level (cellar and mantle vault in the Table House) and the second level are partly hewn into the rock. The second level is the lowest tower vault of the keep. The third level is the main level, which is at the level of the drawbridge. The fourth level includes the upper floors as well as the Knights' Hall, which is located in the third vault of the keep, and the "Chapel Room" above it. In the other buildings, the fourth level consists of the battlement and the attics.
In the GDR, the castle became famous through the television programme "Zauber auf Schloss Kuckuckstein" ("Magic at Kuckuckstein Castle"), in which the magician Dr. Peter Kersten presented his tricks in a historical setting. This show reached cult status in the 1980s and ran for 6 years.
Today the castle is in private ownership. Regular public access is therefore not possible. However, guided tours are possible by appointment, and it is also possible to enter the castle during the cultural events that occasionally take place here.
