Sonnenstein Castle

Sonnenstein Castle is a hilltop castle complex above the town of Pirna in Saxony, Germany, with medieval origins and a long history of institutional use. The buildings form a recognisable historic ensemble overlooking the Elbe valley and Pirna.

The complex was adapted over centuries and in the 19th and 20th centuries served as a psychiatric clinic and healthcare facility. During the Nazi period the site was used in the euthanasia programme, and today parts of the complex include a memorial and exhibition documenting those events.

Parts of the castle and grounds continue to be used for administrative and healthcare purposes while other sections are open to visitors for the memorial and historical interpretation.

Sonnenstein Castle sits above Pirna in Saxony near Dresden, on the edge of the Saxon Switzerland region.

• Memorial site: The site combines historic architecture with a memorial documenting that a psychiatric clinic at the location was used in the Nazi-era euthanasia programme; interpretation is available on site.

What to See #

• Castle buildings: Historic castle buildings and the hilltop complex include remnants of the original fortress structures and later 19th-century additions.
• Memorial and exhibition: A memorial exhibition and commemorative sites occupy part of the grounds and document the site's history during the Nazi era.