Harburg Castle, Harburg, Germany

Harburg Castle is one of the jewels of the German Romantic Road. Wonderfully preserved, the castle sits high on a hill and overlooks the town for which it's named. It is unclear when the first structure was erected, but the castle was first mentioned in a document in 1150. Harburg was built by the former Hohenstaufen emperors of Germany in the 11th or 12th century.

In 1295, the castle was transferred to the Count of Oettingen and it has belonged to the Oettingen, and later the Oettingen-Wallerstein, families ever since.

The castle complex, including the castle house, chapel, sentry walk, prison tower, dungeon, and various buildings used to support the inhabitants, is surrounded by a wall supporting six towers. The castle ballroom is pictured at left. In the center of the complex is a large courtyard with a well.

The present-day fortifications mainly date from the 18th century and can be visited in summer from Tuesday to Sunday. There is also a small hotel-restaurant in the castle.

References:

Romantic Road Germany

User Reviews

Yudi Lesmana (6 months ago)
Beautifully kept medieval castle since since the 1200s. Took the castle tour with very good explanaton and rooms to visit too with original items on display.

Warren Richards (6 months ago)
You must do the tour to see into the buildings of the castle. You might have to wait a bit for the English speaking guide. The tour takes about an hour

RAMPRASAD SRINIVASAN (8 months ago)
A well maintained castle in Europe, when we reached at 10 am, there was no rush. Guided tour was wonderful with good explanations. highly recommended. Not difficult to climb, hardly some 20 steps. Easy walking,everyone can do.

Wells Tang (8 months ago)
Interesting castle with its own story of how each space is used over the years. How the weapons and buildings were used. Including the wooden wall peep hole for fighting with muskets and arrow maybe. The most recent addition is... One of the main hall is a wedding venue with tall ceilings, super windows and wall decorations.

Val Klionsky (9 months ago)
Harburg Castle in Germany a must to visit while in this Bavaria, here history come alive for us amidst a bustling atmosphere of tourists. This stunning medieval castle stands as a testament to the past, meticulously preserved in remarkable condition. As you explore its majestic rooms, halls and medieval architecture, expect to be transported back in time to a world of knights, kings, and queens. One can glimpse into the past while leaving you in awe of its timeless beauty and amazing surrounding landscape. I tried to take a picture without tourists, and it was almost unpassable in the mid of summer.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Mark1792

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Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.

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