Top 5 most beautiful castles in Germany

Fairytales and castles are probably not some of the elements that you’d associate most with Germany. It’s automotive industry, Oktoberfest and perhaps sausages would come to mind faster than imposing and magical medieval structures. We must, however, call your attention towards the fact that Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were born and raised in the Teuton country. All the entries in this blog post could be unmistakably featured in one of their stories.

 

Why are there so many castles in Germany anyhow?

Well to make an extremely complicated story simple, there are a ton of different castles in Germany because there used to be a bunch of royals going around with their regular royal business in these territories. As it turns out, they decided that they either needed a fortress (burg in German) to defend their territory or a beautiful palace (Schloss) to throw their majestic parties. And who else has that kind of budget right? It was not until Disney introduced its castles (inspired by some of the buildings below) to the mass culture that this type of structures became the go-to silhouette when someone says the word “castle”.

 

How many castles are there in Germany then? You may ask

Well again, to make a complicated answer simple, there are more than a few of them. In total, around 20,000. Some of them are more than 1,000 years old. With the help of our colleagues at Flug-Verspaetet.de, we’ve made the list of the top 5 most fascinating castles in Germany. You will, without a doubt, recognise the number one spot on this list.

 

5. Burg Eltz

impressive castles in Germany

Constructed in 1157 it is one of the oldest and most awe-inspiring castles in Germany.

 

4. Hohenzollern Castle

Best castles in Germany

It used to be the imperial seat of the ancestral house of Hohenzollern. The structure was built from 1454 to 1461 and its formal address is 72379 Burg Hohenzollern, Germany. It sounds so normal, but can you imagine the face on your Uber driver when he drops you off at this majestic fort.


3. Lichtenstein Castle

what are the nicest castles in germany

This one was inspired by the novel of the same name. The castle was constructed in 1840. It is now a privately owned tourist attraction and it is also called the fairytale castle of Württemberg. The ruins leftover from the castle that inspired the novel can be found a stone’s throw away.

 

2. Schwerin Palace

Fairytale castles in Germany

Picture by Harald Hoyer

A relatively new building finished in 1857. These days, it is occupied by the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state parliament. It is located in the northern part of the country, so if you’re ever in Hamburg, don’t forget to visit.

 

1. Neuschwanstein Castle

Top 5 castles in Germany

 

You probably recognise this one. This is the most photographed building in Germany and for a reason. Built by Ludwig II of Bavaria to commemorate and honour the composer Richard Wagner. The King of Bavaria actually paid for the whole palace, albeit unfinished, with his personal fortune and through some borrowing. He did not use any public funds. Today it is one of the most visited attractions in Germany.

 


If you’re flying to Germany to visit any of the abovementioned castles, your passenger rights are protected by European law. So if your flight gets cancelled or if you’ve reached your final destination with a delay greater than 3 hours, you may be entitled to compensation! Flight-Delayed will help you claim it:

 

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