District council gives the green light for a café in the donkey stable at Querfurt Castle!

District council gives the green light for a café in the donkey stable at Querfurt Castle!

In a lively meeting on October 29, 2025, the district council passed a unanimous vote paving the way for the revival of Querfurt Castle's donkey stable as a café. This is a decision that was made after detailed consultations and an economic viability audit by KEM Kommunalentwicklung Mitteldeutschland GmbH. Now the former stable is to be turned into an inviting café with cooking facilities, which will be a new focal point not only for visitors to the castle, but also for the region. [dubisthalle.de reports that…]

The cost estimate for the conversion is approximately 600,000 euros, a significantly lower sum compared to the original 1.5 million euros estimated for a restaurant conversion. The interior will be completely renovated and a guest room for 24 people will be created. In addition to the café, budget funds are also used to improve the infrastructure around the castle, for example by renovating the wall of the west gate and renewing the parking lot. These measures are intended to further increase the attractiveness of the castle complex.

Support and commitment to culture

Another positive aspect of this development is the support from the “KulturInvest” funding program, in which 2.4 million euros were made available for the renovation of the walls from the north moat and west moat to the south bastion of Querfurt Castle. This program aims to improve access to culture for the general public. District Administrator Hartmut Handschak has also expressed confidence in the funding commitments and plans to include his own contribution in the budget. [saalekreis.de reports that…]

Katrin Budde, a member of the Bundestag, campaigned intensively for these funds. Their commitment shows how important networks beyond local levels are. The mayor of Querfurt, Andreas Nette, also highlighted the relevance of such partnerships. This financial support is crucial in order to be able to implement the planned renovation measures, which should ultimately ensure that the moat is accessible.

Educational opportunities in the Saale district

But the renovation of the castle is not the only focus of current developments. There is also news in the area of ​​education: almost 1,900 music students attend the district music schools in the Saale district, supported by 96 dedicated music school teachers. Offers include individual lessons, early musical education and even creative courses such as painting and drawing. The district council has therefore decided to extend the temporary permanent positions of 15.5 music teachers until the end of 2027 to ensure that the high demand can continue to be met. [dubisthalle.de reports that…]

Overall, it can be seen that the Querfurt region is doing everything it can to create a lively and diverse environment for all citizens, not only in terms of cultural renovation, but also in promoting education. With commitment and creative solutions, nothing stands in the way of a positive development of our culture and education.