Welcome

"A little over 900 years ago, my family came to what is now Lower Saxony from the south. Since then, its history has been inextricably linked to the land between the Harz Mountains and the sea. Evidence of this connection can be found almost everywhere in the former states of Hanover and Brunswick by the discerning observer. Among these testimonies, Marienburg Castle occupies a special place. Around 1860, my great-great-great-grandmother, Queen Marie, and her husband, King George V of Hanover, conceived the castle not only as a summer residence but also as a monument to the history of the House of Welf. In addition, the extensive collection housed at Marienburg bears witness to at least five centuries of European, German, and Lower Saxon history."

Together with the State of Lower Saxony, I succeeded in finding a lasting solution for this unique cultural monument in 2019. This solution ensures that the restoration needs that have accumulated over 150 years can be addressed in the public interest. At the same time, the castle and its entire inventory will remain permanently connected and publicly accessible. To make this solution possible, I established the Marienburg Castle Foundation. It owns the castle and its contents. In the coming decades, with the support of the State of Lower Saxony, the Cultural Foundation of the German Federal States, and numerous other partners, the foundation will uncover, develop, and present the cultural and historical treasures of Marienburg to a wider public.

My family and I will always have a close connection to Marienburg Castle, and I am delighted to be able to contribute to this magnificent project for the preservation and development of this outstanding cultural monument as Chairman of the Board of Trustees! I recommend to all visitors of this website that they not only visit the foundation virtually, but also come to Marienberg and see for themselves what a treasure Lower Saxony possesses in Marienburg!

Ernst August, Hereditary Prince of Hanover