Author: Silke Weichelt

We made it! On June 21, 2025, our exhibition “Königstein: The Safest Fortress of Germany” was solemnly opened in the City Wall Museum of Nanjing – and we were present there with a small delegation.

In his opening speech, Fortress Director André Thieme honored the museum cooperation existing since 2016 between the Fortress Königstein and the City Wall Museum Nanjing and thanked our Chinese partners for their hospitality, the professionalism, and the trust:

“This special exhibition is among the greatest challenges in the museum history of the Fortress Königstein.”

“Out of it has grown a wonderful friendship with our partners in Nanjing. We are very proud of this exhibition. It is a unique and very special possibility to put into focus not only the Fortress Königstein, but also the entire land of Saxony for Chinese people interested in culture.”

André Thieme – Fortress Director

Employees of the Fortress Königstein and of the City Wall Museum of Nanjing – partly in costumes which the museum visitors are allowed to put on for selfies
Photo: Fortress Königstein gGmbH

Unique Saxon-Chinese Museum Partnership

The cooperation between the Fortress Königstein and the City Wall Museum Nanjing began in spring 2016, when a cooperation agreement was concluded, which, among other things, includes the mutual organization of special exhibitions. Already in 2017, the exhibition “The City Wall of Nanjing – Protective Wall of the Ming Emperors” was shown at Königstein. That our fortress is now present in the million-metropolis of Nanjing until autumn fills us with joy and also a little pride. The City Wall Museum of Nanjing is a highly respected exhibition venue. Only in May, the museum’s permanent exhibition was chosen by the Chinese Museum Association among the Top 10 outstanding museum exhibitions in Jiangsu Province and in 2024 was honored with the Excellence Award for the ten best exhibitions nationwide.

Aerial view of the modern new building of the City Wall Museum of Nanjing
Photo: Provided by the Nanjing City Wall Protection and Management Center

Ceremonial Weapons, Porcelain, and Selfie Costumes to Try On

Magnificent Baroque Table with Meissen Porcelain featuring the motif “Rich Red Dragon”
Photo: Fortress Königstein gGmbH

Our exhibition takes the audience on a journey from the Middle Ages to the present. It tells of both the military and the civil past of the fortress. On display are pieces of equipment and weapons as well as Meissen court porcelain belonging to the museum inventory with the motif Rich Red Dragon, complemented by valuable pieces from the collection of the Meissen Porcelain Foundation. Saxon princes took their place at such magnificent tables when they visited the Fortress Königstein. Even historical cannonballs were sent to China for the exhibition.

“In the special exhibition in Nanjing, we are presenting our permanent exhibition ‘In lapide regis – 800 Years of Life on the Königstein’ in miniature”

Markus Bitterlich

We have reconstructed some of our most popular stations for this purpose: for example a knight’s helmet to put on and the figure of the chimney sweep Abratzky to pull up through a rock chimney. We have also developed new interactive stations, such as the scale of Augustus the Strong to try out and a selfie station with historically recreated costumes. Female artists and seamstresses from Dresden and the surrounding area have made these especially durable for a selfie station. In this way, the exhibition visitors in China can slip into the role of a musketeer or noble ladies and pose for a photo in front of the background of the fortress.

Baroque costumes… are ready for visitors…

At the Fortress Königstein, museum-educational offerings for children’s groups and families play a major role – therefore, museum educator Maria Pretzschner exported the popular interactive activities Printing with a historical printing press, sealing the first mention document of Königstein, and making fragrant herbal stamps to the City Wall Museum Nanjing. She trained her Chinese colleagues and personally guided two groups of Chinese children and adolescents (aged between 5 and 12 years, and between 14 and 18 years) through the exhibition.

“Both groups were visibly enthusiastic about the interactive stations and the subsequent practical part. I was deeply moved by the curiosity, dedication, and skill even the youngest got to work. I was also surprised and impressed by the very good German skills of some children and adolescents. Some told me with great anticipation that they would soon travel to Germany – and wanted to visit the Fortress Königstein.”

Maria Pretzschner

Museum educator Maria Pretzschner guided school groups through the exhibition… showed you how to handle a historical printing press…

…and had the children make fragrant herb sachets. The Chinese kids were excited.
Photo: Fortress Königstein gGmbH

Fortress Königstein as Ambassador for the Saxon Cultural Landscape

The scenic beauty… and the rich cultural heritage of Saxony… are in focus alongside military history.
Photo: Fortress Königstein gGmbH

Other highlights include a film screening in which visitors experience a fictional attack on the fortress on a large screen. It shows how sophisticated the defense system of the Fortress Königstein once was. Impressions of living-history events at Königstein are shown to the Chinese audience in another film, demonstrating how history is made tangible for us. The beauty of the cultural and travel destination Saxony is also presented: in cooperation with the tourism associations of the Saxon regions, landscapes along the Elbe Valley, Dresden, and Meissen, as well as other scenic attractions, were featured. The films are also intended to be shown later at the Fortress Königstein.

This exhibition is a true labor of love for us – and an important step in our international museum work. The response in the Chinese media was extremely positive – and the visitors of the City Wall Museum show keen interest in our exhibition. Within one week, the exhibition already counted thousands of guests. Until November 9, 2025, it will continue to delight the Chinese museum audience.

Large press article in the daily newspaper Nanjing Daily on June 27, 2025
Provided by the Nanjing City Wall Protection and Management Center