Altzella Monastery Park relies on electricity from the sun

The Altzella Monastery Park is the first of the 19 facilities in Saxony's palace association to generate its own sustainable electricity using photovoltaics. According to the Schlösserverbund, the additional conversion of the heat supply will make the site less dependent on fossil fuels from the next heating period. A total of around 1.9 million euros has been invested in this project in line with the preservation order, also to save energy.

The solar system on the roof of the gallery has 156 modules with a total output of 69.4 kilowatt peak (kWp), which already feeds the Klosterpark grid. An electric air-to-water heat pump with a gas condensing boiler replaces the previous heating with oil and liquid gas. According to the information provided, the changeover will save around 25 tons of CO2 per year and reduce electricity consumption from the public grid by around 40 percent.

"This is an important milestone," said Christian Striefler, Managing Director of Staatliche Schlösser, Burgen und Gärten Sachsen GmbH (SBG). In view of the enormous rise in energy costs, a rethink and alternative energy sources are needed in order to remain economically viable. Altzella is therefore a pioneer in the conversion, with other locations to follow. The next photovoltaic system is already under construction - for the Dresden Great Garden.

Monks settled on the Freiberg Mulde 850 years ago

The Altzella Monastery Park is located near Nossen (Meissen district). Only ruins remain of the Cistercian abbey of Marienzell, which was founded in 1175 and demolished during the Reformation. At its peak, around 250 monks lived there, and the name Altzella was coined around 1268. The monastery church was an important burial place for the Wettin dynasty, the princely family that ruled Saxony for a good 800 years.

The old walls and renovated buildings are surrounded by an English-style landscape park, which around 48,000 people visit every year for recreation or entertainment. The program ranges from harp sounds to tree tours or flower shows to GPS scavenger hunts.