An excursion through the centuries awaits the visitor in the extensive medieval castle complex, which joins the natural monument and “national geotope” Stolpener Basalt to form a unified whole. Visible from afar, the castle with its distinctive towers is an impressive landmark. It is inextricably linked with the tragic fate of Countess Cosel, the most famous of Saxon elector Augustus the Strong’s mistresses, who was imprisoned at Stolpen for forty-nine years. Her tomb is in the castle chapel. Featuring musty dungeons, winding cellar passages, a torture chamber, a “hunger hole” and the deepest well sunk into basalt in the world, the lengthy tour of the castle provides a very special experience of its medieval character. The museum and a varied programme of events make Stolpen the setting for a vivid revival of Saxon history and culture.