The Bower Orlamünde is a remnant of a castle complex from the 11th and 12th centuries in Orlamünde above the Saale valley. Orlamünde is the only Thuringian castle to be recorded on the Ebstorf world map, which was created around 1300.

The first mention of the castle can be found in a parish charter from 1194, which refers to older sources before 1067. According to this document, the castle was owned by Count Otto I of Weimar.

The Kemenate was the core building of the Orlamünde castle complex and is the last surviving building of the defensive complex, of which only parts of the curtain wall and the gateway remain. It was one of the mightiest broad towers in Thuringia and blocked the entire ridge and thus the main attack side. The massive tower block has small and narrow light slits and an entrance at a height of 9.5 meters. This austere fort design probably originated in southern Italy and was adopted here.

The protracted inheritance dispute over the county of Weimar-Orlamünde was won by the great-grandson Hermann of the daughter of Count Otto von Weimar, who now called himself Count of Orlamünde. After the destruction of Weimar Castle, Orlamünde Castle became the main seat. Subsequently, the Counts of Orlamünde-Weimar rose to become the strongest ruling dynasty in Thuringia for a time, although it later broke up into several lines. After an over-indebted sale in 1344, there were countless changes of ownership. The castle fell into disrepair and became a quarry for the local population, leaving only the bower as the only remaining utility building.

With the end of the Middle Ages and the rise of the bourgeoisie, the remaining bower was renovated by the town of Orlamünde. In the 20th century, it began to be used as an advertising medium and for leisure activities: in the 1920s, for example, as a theater backdrop for legendary performances on the wall along the main entrance, which were even attended by special trains from Leipzig.

The bower is once again used extensively as an event venue and clubhouse for the local castle association, and a small local history museum has been set up.

There is a legend of a White Lady at Orlamünde Castle. The model for this was Kunigunde von Orlamünde.