• Rüstkammer, Veste Coburg

Historical weapons

The collection of historical weapons is one of the most important collections of its kind in Europe in terms of its diversity, quality and size. The many different weapon types it includes range from military to hunting and courtly weapons. The military and courtly weapons date mainly from the fifteenth to the seventeenth century. The collection of hunting weapons, of exceptionally high quality and also extremely numerous, covers a period of time ranging from the sixteenth to the second half of the twentieth century.

Armoury

The exhibition of weapons and armour has an essentially military character. Most exhibits date from the 16th or 17th century.

This chamber shows, in a way reminiscent of the historical armoury, assorted objects such as commoners’ armour, morions, daggers, matchlock guns, swivel guns and weapons for laying siege and defending fortifications, such as battlement grenades, pitch-wreath or limepots.

Hunting weapons

This room houses an exclusive selection from the huge stock of rifles and other hunting weapons owned by the Coburg art collection, which is of great European importance.

The chronological range is from the late 16th century to the present and the geographical range from Russia to Spain and from Sweden to Italy.

The exhibits are of top quality and were produced by manufacturers of national and international reputation.

Torture tools

Punitive devices from the 16th to 18th century such as shame masks, thumbscrews, handcuffs or executioner’s axes communicate an idea of the jurisdiction of that period.

Punishment was mainly an act of retaliation, rehabilitation not having been intended.Physical punishment was clearly given preference over imprisonment.

The small but representative collection is explained and supplemented by graphical illustrations, giving it a vivid character.

Turkish booty

In the former dining room of the Ducal Palace, visitors can view items from the Turkish booty, the Turkish spoils of war of Prince Friedrich Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (1737-1815). This war booty was taken by the prince, then in the service of Austria, as the commanding general in the Battle of Rymnik on September 22, 1789, against the Turks. The booty consists mainly of weapons of all kinds, but also of various pieces of equipment such as riding tack, a tent and apparatus.

  • Artillerieausstellung "Gebt Feuer!", Veste Coburg

Artillery exhibition Ready to fire

A new museum exhibit is displayed in the covered battery area with more than ten mounted weapons of different sizes and eras.  Among them is the mighty Saxon half-kartouwe from the early 18th century with a barrel weight of 61 hundredweight (cwt). Around 140 exhibits including mortars, grenade weapons, sights, loading and ignition accessories and special ammunition complete the exhibition. Media stations featuring video clips provide a multi-sensory experience for visitors interested in the history of powder-charged artillery. A large-scale movie and experimental arrangements that allow visitors to touch makes the artillery experience and exhibition complete.