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Burg Střekov – history
Střekov Castle (Schreckenstein) stands on a steep rock above the Elbe near Ústí nad Labem (Aussig). It was built in the 14th century to protect shipping on the Elbe – in 1316 King John of Luxembourg released the site for it – and today it once again belongs to the Lobkowicz family. As a romantic ruin it inspired painters such as Ludwig Richter and Caspar David Friedrich.
Richard Wagner and Tannhäuser
In 1842 Richard Wagner walked from Teplitz to the Schreckenstein and stayed for a few days in a small guest room by the castle. There he jotted down in his notebook the outline of an opera, which at the time was still called “Der Venusberg” – later “Tannhäuser”. A whistling shepherd on a nearby hill is said to have inspired the scene with the procession of pilgrims and the shepherd's tune in the first act. Four years later Wagner was working on “Lohengrin” in Graupa.
As of: 09/2026
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