Rabenstein Castle, located on the western outskirts of Chemnitz, is one of the oldest and most important buildings in the city. The castle was built in the 12th century and has been repeatedly extended and modified since then. Its special cultural-historical value is primarily due to the painting of the historic dining room in the palace, which is unique in Germany and shows a cycle of animals and mythical creatures from around 1625. The paintings, executed by an unknown artist, were commissioned by the von Carlowitz family, who had owned the castle since 1619. One of the most important representatives of this family is Hans Carl von Carlowitz. He was born 380 years ago, in December 1645, in what was then Oberrabenstein. In his later role as chief mining administrator, he experienced the environmental destruction caused by the mining industry in the
environmental destruction in the Ore Mountains. In 1713, he published his work Sylvicultura oeconomica, in which he developed the concept of sustainability, an approach to development that still has an impact today.