Facts About Castles in Germany

The closest I’ve been to a castle is in fairy tales and Disney movies! Hence, curiosity spurred me to research various facts about castles, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading all of it!

Build on, and make thy castles high and fair,
Rising and reaching upward to the skies;
Listen to voices in the upper air,
Nor lose thy simple faith in mysteries.
―Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (from The Castle Builder)

For someone who lives in a part of the world that is too modernized to accommodate any space for fantasy and wild flights of imagination in her life, I would call myself quite the daydreamer! I’ve grown up listening to fairy tales and stories involving fantastic creatures and knights coming to the rescue of fair damsels in distress. Therefore, while I was growing up, I began giving in to my desire to explore actual castles in various different parts of the world. Now, not for nothing is Europe known as the land of fairy tales, what with such a lot of European countries being homes to a large number of ancient castles and forts. Prominent among these countries that are the homelands of castles and fairy tale-like settings are Scotland, Germany, England, Italy, Spain, Wales, Hungary, Albania, Sweden, Portugal, Denmark, Poland, France, Bulgaria, Austria, Armenia, Croatia, Belgium, Norway, Switzerland, and Ireland. Various other European countries are also home to a large number of castles and fortresses. For now, let’s take a look at some interesting facts about castles in Germany.

Famous Castles in Germany

Before we proceed, let’s take in the numbers. Here is a list of all famous castles in Germany, classified according to their locations.

Please take note that the components of the table above includes castles, forts, palaces, as well as manor houses.

Information on Castles in Germany

Here are some random interesting facts about German castles that I’m sure you’ll have fun reading. Besides the information, these facts are pretty high on the amusement value!

• The famous Neuschwanstein Castle was designed by a theatrical set designer, Christian Jank, and not an architect!
• The Sleeping Beauty Castle at the Disneyland Park is inspired by the Neuschwanstein Castle.
• The architectural styles of all these German castles vary greatly. While some are styled after Baroque architecture, you’ll find a lot of castles fashioned after Renaissance and other architectural styles.
• The Wartburg Castle houses many a legend within its fortified walls and gigantic chambers. For instance, it was constructed as a result of a German Duke’s fascination with the Alpine scenery. Also, a number of music contests were held in this castle and frescoes depicting the winners can still be found on the walls of its court.
• The Wartburg castle is also famous in the history of Germany due of its association with the Protestant Reformation movement. Martin Luther was held inside this castle as punishment for leading the movement.
• The intricate woodwork inside King Ludwig’s bed chamber in the Neuschwanstein Castle was completed by 14 carpenters in four and a half years!
• Many of the German castles underwent reconstruction and redesigning due to the various outside influences brought back home by Medieval kings and knights returning from war in foreign lands.
• Castles situated in different locations in Germany vary to some extent in terms of design and architectural style from each other. Castles in no two regions would have either a similar look or feel. Considering the whopping number of castles that are situated throughout Germany, that’s a hell of a lot of variety!
• The design of the Herrenchiesmee Castle was inspired by the French Versailles. It has a number of French styled gardens in its premises, and the rooms are ornamented by quite a significant number of mirrors in a wide variety of sizes and shapes.
• The Castle of Hiedelberg presents one of the best examples of what a true Gothic style architectural masterpiece should be! Another instance of Gothic influence is the Eltz Castle which still has its strong Gothic plaster (containing ox blood, animal hair, camphor, quick lime, and clay) intact.
• The Hiedelberg Castle boasts of the largest wine barrel in the world, which has the capacity to hold a whopping 55,345 gallons of wine at a time!

I am sure your curious feelers must have been activated after reading these amazing facts. With well over 20,000 castles, forts, palaces, manor houses, and fortified buildings all over its expanse, even a year-long trip to Germany would fall short for exploring each of these castles and architectural masterpieces. Indeed, the more you learn about various other facts and information about Germany, the more this fairy tale land beckons you with a promise of intrigue and fantasy!