Often referred to as the Welfenschloss, Schloss Herzberg crowns a wooded hill above the town of Herzberg am Harz and is today regarded as one of the largest Renaissance castle complexes in timber‑frame construction in Niedersachsen. Its origins go back to a medieval hunting lodge and fortifications that were first mentioned in the 12th century, and the site came early into the possession of the Welf dynasty, whose rule left a lasting mark on the region. After a devastating fire in 1510 destroyed the earlier buildings, the complex was rebuilt in the 16th century as a four‑winged Renaissance palace: lower levels in sandstone and the upper storeys largely in elaborate half‑timbered architecture, which gives the ensemble its distinctive appearance today. For centuries it served as a residence and administrative centre for various lines of the Welfs, including the dukes of Braunschweig‑Grubenhagen, making the castle a political and cultural focal point for the southern Harz.
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