In the 18th century Untschen manor was owned by the minister Hans Wilhelm von Thümmel, who made his mark in the Duchy of Saxony-Gotha-Altenburg by founding one of the first banks, developing road building as well as land surveying. In 1796 he opened the guesthouse “The Golden Dragon” in Untschen, although that was against the next bigger city Schmölln’s laws on fringe area. On the south side of the street, the manor’s brewery was placed in a hop garden. To the manor’s lands belonged a number of lakes, too. Aesthete Thümmel established a project on floating of timber in Untschen as well. Close to the floating lake and the mill he had a Chinese bath house build in 1796. It was called the “temple of Untschen”.

The about 800 year old manor was disappropriated with the land reform in 1945. During the next years a big farm building (1945) and the brewery and the brickyard (1960s) were pulled down. A former administration building served as a guest house up to the 1980s and a former horse stable today rooms a small shop.

View the about 60 manors of the county of Altenburg on our google map: http://tiny.cc/o27p6.

Read more about castles and manor houses in Altenburg region in the following books, which can be bought in the museum or ordered per e-mail to info@burg-posterstein.de:

Das alte Schloss sehn wir noch heut…
Aus der Geschichte der Rittergüter im Altenburger Land (Teil II)
© Museum Burg Posterstein 2010

…Und nachmittags fuhren wir nach Nöbdenitz segeln!
Rittergüter im Altenburger Land und ihre Gärten
© Museum Burg Posterstein 2007

Text: Marlene Hofmann / Museum Burg Posterstein