The building was severely damaged by bombs during the last weeks of World War II and largely demolished afterwards.

By the 16th century, the complex consisted of a number of individual residences for the various family branches, surrounded by a common castle wall.

To make room, the northern parts of the old castle were demolished, and the resulting debris was used as backfill in the foundation of the new palace.

The plan was to create a typical Baroque three-wing complex with a cour d'honneur in the center, which was based stylistically on Dutch models.

Between 1703 and 1706, Ryckwaert's successor Giovanni Simonetti built the west wing, which included the castle chapel.

It was a childhood home of Catherine the Great (born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst) prior to being selected to marry the heir of the Russian Imperial throne in 1744.

The valuable interior was destroyed, as well as the exhibits on display in the museum and the documents held in the State Archives.

Reconstructing the walls of the castle on the existing foundations would have been possible, but this option was rejected for political reasons by the Communist rulers of post-War Eastern Germany.

Of the Schloss itself, only the eastern wing and part of the corps de logis remain today.