The German federal government has announced that Schloss Meseberg will be closed as a guest house for Heads of State. After 20 years of use, the Messerschmitt Foundation and the government have agreed that the lease will end in February 2027, according to spokesperson Stefan Kornelius.
The foundation had rented the castle for a symbolic €1, but the state paid for its upkeep. Since 2007, chancellors have hosted world leaders at Meseberg. In recent years, the venue’s usage has sharply declined because of alternative formats, a denser calendar, and the fact that it is far from Berlin’s government quarter. The costs of operating and maintaining the castle no longer match the value it provides for official events.
Consequently, the federal chancellery will no longer cover the expenses for maintaining, operating, and securing the property. High‑level events will take place at various “appropriate” locations or in a new event area within the chancellor’s new extension, expected to be finished by the end of 2028. Renting external venues once will cost far less than the annual sum previously paid for the castle.
