The first medieval castle was built as early as the beginning of the 12th century, but in the course of history Werningerode Castle was frequently changed. First came an extension in the late Gothic style at the end of the 15th century, and in the centuries that followed it was converted into a Renaissance fortress and a romantic residential castle. The architect Carl Frühling was responsible for the greatest change at the end of the 19th century, when he transformed Wernigerode Castle into an architecturally impressive leading building of North German historicism. Since 1999, the imposing building has been a nationally valuable cultural monument and part of the Saxony-Anhalt state project Gartenträume® and since 1998 the first German centre for 19th century art and cultural history.
