Castles of Germany

Wartburg Castle is one of the most famous castles in Germany: It was built around 1067 and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. Between 1211 and 1227 the canonized Elisabeth of Thuringia lived in the castle. In 1521/22 the protestant reformer Martin Luther kept himself hidden in the castle under the name "Junker Jörg". During this time he translated the New Testament of the Bible into German. Author and statesman Johann Wolfgang von Goethe also visited the Wartburg castle several times.

Before its destruction, Heidelberg Castle was one of the most impressive castles in Germany. The imposing ruin still bears witness to the castle's beauty. Visitors can follow the footsteps of its former inhabitants, indulging in the many myths and legends that surround the castle. Imposing, legendary and significant: Heidelberg Castle must be visited!

Marksburg Castle was never destroyed and has remained imposing since the 12th century on a 160-meter high hill above the town of Braubach and the Rhine River in Rhineland-Palatinate. Over time minor alterations and elevations were made to the castle. Marksburg Castle was built to protect and administer Braubach and also served as a customs castle. Since 2002 the castle is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Upper Middle Rhine Valley".

The imposing castle of Sigmaringen was first mentioned in 1077 in the monastic chronicle of Petershausen. Over the centuries, it was converted into a prestigious residence by several aristocratic families. Since 1535 Sigmaringen Castle has belonged to the princes of Hohenzollern, one of the most important noble families of Europe, who lived in the castle until the 20th century.

Albrechtsburg Castle at Meißen is one of the most important gothic architectural monuments in Germany and has its origins around the year 930. The present building was constructed in 1471 on the site of the former castle of the Marquis of Meißen. The Albrechtsburg castle is considered to be the first palace in Germany. Today the complex houses a public museum.

Pfalzgrafenstein Castle was built in the early 14th century on behalf of Roman-German emperor Louis the Bavarian in the Rhine River near the village of Kaub as a customs castle. It is one of very few undestroyed and little altered castles in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. It stands as an island castle on the river island of Falkenau in the Rhine River, and is accessible by a regular passenger ferry from Kaub.

Halfway between Koblenz and Gießen, in the valley of the river Lahn, which forms the natural border between the Taunus and Westerwald regions, stands the impressive castle above the town of Runkel. The old castle is a perfect example of medieval defensive construction. Carefully restored, partially inhabited, Runkel Castle can be visited.

Drachenburg Castle is located halfway to the peak of the Drachenfels, a mountain at Königswinter in North Rhine-Westphalia. Its foundation stone was laid in 1882. Since 2010 it has been reopened to its former glory after 16 years of renovation. The interiors as well as the historic murals and stained glass windows have been reconstructed as much as possible in the original design. First built as the residence of a stockbroker (who never lived in the castle), Drachenburg Castle was later a hotel and a museum.

Mespelbrunn Castle is a real secret tip! It literally lies hidden in a valley between Frankfurt and Würzburg. It owes its pristine and unspoiled appearance to its location. Mespelbrunn Castle is so close to the water that you get the impression it is floating on it.

Wernigerode Castle, located in the town of the same name, is reminiscent of a fairytale castle and is often referred to as the "Neuschwanstein of the Harz." In the 12th century the present castle was still a fortifiction with the task of protecting the imperial hunting trails that led from the town of Goslar to the Harz mountains. Later it became the residence castle of the counts of Stolberg-Wernigerode. At the end of the 19th century Wernigerode Castle was rebuilt into a representative castle in its present form.

Hidden at the foot of the Eifel mountain region lies Satzvey Castle, one of the most beautiful castles in the Rhineland. The first documented mention of it dates back to 1396. Over 300 years in family ownership, Satzvey castle is still home and ancestral seat of the family of the Counts Beissel von Gymnich. From Easter to Christmas a variety of historical and thematic festivals, knight tournaments, concerts, weddings and more are held here.

The Imperial Castle Cochem ("Reichsburg Cochem") is the landmark of the town of the same name in the Moselle River valley and stands on a hilltop visible above the town. The complex, a typical hilltop castle, served as a customs castle in the Middle Ages and was probably built around 1100. The Imperial Castle Cochem was destroyed in the 17th century and rebuilt in the 19th century according to the taste of romanticism of the time.

Even from afar you can see the towers of the fairy-tale castle that Louis II, King of Bavaria, had built at the end of the 19th century. Every year, about 1.5 million visitors visit the famous Neuschwanstein Castle and marvel at the eccentric king's medieval dream.

Lichtenstein Castle is also known as the "fairytale castle of Württemberg" and was built in the 19th century in the style of neo-Gothic historicism. William, Count of Württemberg, had Lichtenstein Castle built in the years 1840 to 1842. It is one of the finest creations of Romantic historicism in Germany.

Eltz Castle is a dramatic and beautiful building that still belongs to a count today. The noble Eltz family received the castle as a gift from Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa in 1157. It stands completely alone, surrounded by forests and the small Elzbach river in a valley near Koblenz. Due to its unique architecture with many towers up to 35 meters high Eltz Castle is an exciting sight. A classic knights' castle!