Wagner visited Teplice several times in his younger years. Particularly significant were the two trips he made in 1842 and 1843 from Dresden, 50 kilometers away, where he had recently been appointed Kapellmeister. The area seems to have stimulated his imagination; he worked on his operas there on several occasions. Especially the nearby castle Strekov inspired his imagination for the creation of his “Tannhäuser” (see below).