Altenburg
The town where the card game Skat was invented around 1810, and which still makes playing cards.
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Skat was developed in Altenburg between about 1810 and 1817 by a group of local players adapting older games, and it became the most widely played card game in Germany; a Skat court sits in the town to rule on disputed points of play, and a fountain in the market square commemorates the game. Playing cards have been manufactured here since 1832 and the factory still produces them, with a card museum in the castle covering four centuries of card making. The castle itself sits on a rock above the town with a Gothic chapel holding an organ Bach examined in 1739, and a Renaissance hall.
What you actually see
- The Skat origin - the game invented here, with a fountain and a court.
- The playing card museum - four centuries of card production in the castle.
- The castle chapel - an organ Bach tested in 1739.
- The rock position - a castle above the town with a bottle-shaped tower.
When to go
April to October; museums close Mondays. Skat tournaments are held in the town through the year. It is quiet and rarely crowded.
Honest expectations
The card factory itself is not open to visitors. Museums close Mondays. The town is small with limited services outside the centre.
Nearby
Leipzig lies north; Chemnitz is east.
What to pack for Altenburg
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
