Hanover (dpa) – The German coming-of-age series "Maxton Hall" premieres its second season on Friday and is set to bring renewed attention to its filming location, the Marienburg Castle in northern Germany. Interest in the castle – which is in urgent need of renovation – has never really waned, as it has become a magnet for fans, said Marienburg Castle Foundation director Mario Mathias Ohle. Large numbers visitors keep coming to look at the location, located among the foresty hills south of the German city of Hanover. The series, which launched in 2024 and became a surprise international hit, is heading into its second season on Prime Video on Friday. In the series, Ruby Bell, an ambitious pupil, has won a scholarship to the exclusive Maxton Hall Academy. There she meets James Beaufort, the rich, charming but arrogant school heart-throb. The coming-of-age series is based on books by Mona Kasten, and a mainly young audience worldwide enthused over the romance between the two protagonists. In spring 2024 the first episodes temporarily ranked first in more than 120 regions on the Amazon charts. A fund of €27.2 million ($31.2 million) from the federal and state governments has been available for the renovation of the dilapidated castle, which is largely closed to the public. The renovation is expected to last until 2030. However, earlier estimates by the foundation indicate that this amount will be far from sufficient. For the days of filming, the building authority granted a special permit, the foundation reported. The foundation’s board announced that shortly after the start of the second season the parts of the castle that are not closed would be reopened to the public. Temporary openings are also planned for next summer. The following information is not intended for publication dpa tst xxde mew coh
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