Built in 1620, the Rieseneck hunting lodge is the only surviving medieval hunting lodge in Europe. Walls, trenches and underground passages for stalking game bear witness to how hunting was carried out in those days.

The complex, located three kilometers west of Hummelshain, can only be reached on foot. The grounds originally belonged to the "Fröhliche Wiederkunft" hunting lodge near Wolfersdorf. The forest was once criss-crossed by extensive bridleways and carriage paths that connected the castle and the hunting grounds.

It is assumed that a settlement of forest farmers once stood on the site of the historic hunting grounds. A copperplate engraving of the area from 1750 even shows a church tower in the middle of the forest.

It is primarily thanks to the regent Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous that hunting became such a great and formative passion in the later Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. Impressive court and state hunts were just as much a part of this as the care of the game population. After the end of the Thirty Years' War, the complex was modernized at great expense and operations continued. The stone buildings that can still be seen today date from the period between 1712 and 1735.

The area around the Rieseneck was literally developed into a hunting residence and the surrounding villages also benefited from this. Hummelshain Castle, for example, was lavishly extended by Frederick II and later by his son.

The hunting grounds were frequently used until the second half of the 18th century. From 1830, however, hunting became less important and Rieseneck was left to decay, which continued into the 20th century. After the end of the Second World War, initial efforts were made to secure the grounds. 

The Rieseneck Circle of Friends was founded in 1987 and has been working ever since to restore the buildings and grounds to their original state. 

Rieseneck was the model for other hunting grounds. This included the one near Ilmenau below the Kickelhahn. Today, numerous exhibits and maps in the Gabelbach Hunting Lodge Museum provide evidence of the relationship.

Guided historical tours are available by appointment.