Best castles to visit in Germany: Enchanting holidays all around

Text: Nane Steinhoff | Photos: Pixabay

When you think about German castles, Neuschwanstein Castle will immediately spring to mind, most likely. But did you know that the country has many more enchanting castles on offer? We explore some of the top examples in the following special theme. But first, let’s look at some of Germany’s castle history.

Expect fairy-tale settings, magical castle towers atop high mountain peaks and impressive historical facts when visiting one of Germany’s numerous castles. The country’s castles boast a rich history, filled with knights, dukes and the devastation of wars. Many of them have been lovingly restored over the past centuries and in some, the founding families still live in the buildings today. When visiting, visitors can look forward to precious artifacts, paintings and furniture, as well as weapons.

Rich castle-building heritage

Castles in Germany originate from the ninth to the tenth centuries, while they evolved in medieval times, throughout the fall of Ancient Rome and in the beginning of the Renaissance. In total, Germany is home to around 12,000 castles that are either still standing or in ruins. No wonder then, that there are castles to suit every interest – and not just for romantics. After all, castles in Germany range from medieval fairy-tale sites and fantasy palaces to remnants of old fortresses, and they greatly vary in architecture and design, which can be explained by the varieties of traditions and cultures throughout German history.

Visitors to these castles can look forward to impressive histories to be discovered behind the doorways. After all, only around 100 years ago, kings, emperors and their families still lived there. Today, these spectacular buildings serve as cultural objects, guesthouses and museums.