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.

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Address

B25, Harburg, Germany
See all sites in Harburg

Details

Founded: 11th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Germany
Historical period: Salian Dynasty (Germany)

More Information

www.ireg.de
www.thespeedyturtle.com
www.romanticroadgermany.com

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Augsburg Town Hall (48,8 km)
St. Peter am Perlach Church (48,8 km)
St. George's Church (16,2 km)
St. George's Minster (41,5 km)
Fuggerhäuser (49,1 km)
Eichstätt Cathedral (38,2 km)
Augsburg Cathedral (48,3 km)
Fuggerei (48,9 km)
St. Ulrich's and St. Afra's Abbey (49,6 km)

User Reviews

thomse red (7 months ago)
Spacious parking, 3€ adult entry and another 4€ for the tour of the castle which is really informative.
Michael Barnes (10 months ago)
Beautiful castle along the road that makes for a wonderful detour. Worth a stop yo enjoy the very well preserved buildings and grounds with an excellent view over the valley.
alicia moraa (11 months ago)
Harburg Castle is the best place to visit while in Germany. So many Historical features since 1000yrs ago or more.... Look out for few pics to motivate you more
No Luck (11 months ago)
Went here on a tour and loved it all!! There is a painting at the end of the tour on the ceiling that gives an incredible optical illusion from one way she is laying down and walk across the room she will be sitting!! Beautiful original castle with deep stories behind it all.
Ben Bradley (14 months ago)
Interesting castle you will find there, walk around and in it, entrance fee to pay. Expect a nice little garden, a high placed sightseeing point, wonderful church, a little gift warehouse, and a inside the castle placed restaurant that I can't really recommend. Long waiting time to get some, price kind high. What I don't like, they allow motorcycles to drive inside the court of the castle. U get awful loud motor sound and stinky gas. Walking around the castle is impressive but all over very dirty.
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Château de Chaumont

The Château de Chaumont was founded in the 10th century by Odo I, Count of Blois. The purpose was to protect his lands from attacks from his feudal rivals, Fulk Nerra, Count of Anjou. On his behalf the Norman Gelduin received it, improved it and held it as his own. His great-niece Denise de Fougère, having married Sulpice d'Amboise, passed the château into the Amboise family for five centuries.

Pierre d'Amboise unsuccessfully rebelled against King Louis XI and his property was confiscated, and the castle was dismantled on royal order in 1465. It was later rebuilt by Charles I d'Amboise from 1465–1475 and then finished by his son, Charles II d'Amboise de Chaumont from 1498–1510, with help from his uncle, Cardinal Georges d'Amboise; some Renaissance features were to be seen in buildings that retained their overall medieval appearance. The château was acquired by Catherine de Medici in 1550. There she entertained numerous astrologers, among them Nostradamus. When her husband, Henry II, died in 1559 she forced his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, to exchange Château de Chaumont for Château de Chenonceau which Henry had given to de Poitiers. Diane de Poitiers only lived at Chaumont for a short while.

Later Chaumont has changed hands several times. Paul de Beauvilliers bought the château in 1699, modernized some of its interiors and decorated it with sufficient grandeur to house the duc d'Anjou on his way to become king of Spain in 1700. Monsieur Bertin demolished the north wing to open the house towards the river view in the modern fashion.

In 1750, Jacques-Donatien Le Ray purchased the castle as a country home where he established a glassmaking and pottery factory. He was considered the French "Father of the American Revolution" because he loved America. However, in 1789, the new French Revolutionary Government seized Le Ray's assets, including his beloved Château de Chaumont.

The castle has been classified as a Monument historique since 1840 by the French Ministry of Culture. The Château de Chaumont is currently a museum and every year hosts a Garden Festival from April to October where contemporary garden designers display their work in an English-style garden.

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