Starkenburg Castle

Heppenheim, Germany

Starkenburg Castle, built in 1065 on Schlossberg mountain above Heppenheim’s picturesque old town, is one of the oldest castles to be found in the western Odenwald region. At first, it resembled a Roman fort, which consisted of simple wooden constructions, towers, earthworks and bulwarks. King Frederick entrusted the Archbishop of Mainz with Lorsch Abbey and Starkenburg Castle in 1232. Under the rule of the Electoral Mainz, the castle was reconstructed into a late medieval fort castle.

In 1675-1689, Archbishop-Elector of Mainz Anselm of Ingelheim pushed the castle’s reconstruction. It was designed to be a fortress complex and a place of agricultural production, storage and administration. It was designed imitating the French model. In 1765, the Mainz occupying troops were withdrawn and the castle was released to be demolished and parts of the castle fell victim to demolition. The keep of the romantic castle ruin had to be torn down in 1924 due to its ruinous state. It was rebuilt in a different design in the entrance area. The residential building was also reconstructed, however, in a modern design. Later, a further new Jugendherberge (youth hostel) was constructed up there. With 121 beds and 5 seminar rooms, it offers best conditions for a comfortable stay in romantic surroundings.

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Details

Founded: 1065
Category: Castles and fortifications in Germany
Historical period: Salian Dynasty (Germany)

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Big Daddy Stick (2 months ago)
Really cool castle. Drove all the way up. Parking was available. Was able to go inside and have a drink. Souvenirs available. Free entry.
Aleksejs Ivcenkovs (4 months ago)
Nice place and castle. Located on top of the hill.
Roxanne Li (16 months ago)
It'll require a nice walk then give you a nice view of Heppenheim. And people can enjoy some drink in the Biergarten next to the castle.
Amzzz (16 months ago)
Nice walk up to the tower. There is also possibility to go by car till the end. They have now youth hostel in the tower. I think they also have star gazing events there for kids. Well maintained, best to from wed- Sunday for more lively atmosphere.
Vicky Rao (18 months ago)
Located on top of a hill, you can both drive and hike to visit the castle. There are two options for hiking, 1. You take the regular road route up or 2. You take a little more challenging route up the mountain that allows only one person to walk up or down at a time. I took the second route and I must warn you, it looked rarely used and was overgrown with plants, Don't take this route if you are with children. The climb up takes you through plenty of honey farms, and you can also buy honey from these local farms. The hike takes about an hour, depending on your fitness levels. Photographers paradise. There is not much to explore at the Starkenberg castle itself but the view is breath taking. There is a Biergarten located with the castle grounds and the general atmosphere is relaxed. Overall, worth a visit. Key themes Family and kids friendly Parking available Toilets available Biergarten Hiking Nature Wildlife Views from the mountain History Photography
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