Drachenfels Castle Ruins

Königswinter, Germany

The ruined castle Burg Drachenfels, on the summit of the Dhill, was built between 1138 and 1167 by Archbishop Arnold I of Cologne and bears the same name. It was originally intended for the protection of the Cologne region from any assault from the south. Originally it consisted of a bergfried with court, chapel and living quarters for servants. The castle was slighted in 1634, during the Thirty Years' War, by the Protestant Swedes and never rebuilt. As a strategic asset it had outlived its usefulness. Erosion due to the continued quarrying undermined much of the remains and only a small part is left today.

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Details

Founded: 1138-1167
Category: Castles and fortifications in Germany
Historical period: Hohenstaufen Dynasty (Germany)

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

hanna kushnirenko (9 months ago)
We were sooo much excited!!! Its wonderful and picturesque place. A lot of information and restaurant inside to rest or just to seat on the grass ))) Definitely recommend
Anjani (10 months ago)
Spectacular castle that looks like it came from a Disney movie. The castle looks marvelous on the inside, the leaded windows are beautifully painted. The interior is very interesting, unfortunately almost everything is in German, so I didn't quite understand everything. I still found it fascinating to learn everything the castle has been through. We came right when the castle opened on a Saturday, I recommend you come early, as it got quite busy during the afternoon. The surroundings are stunning as well, great for hiking. You can take a tram up, but I recommend hiking up if you have no trouble walking as the tram doesn't give you a view of the castle. The castle was definitely worth a visit.
Настена Загдай (11 months ago)
Beautiful place with spectacular views. You can see the castle inside, climb to the observation deck and take a walk around. We climbed on the funicular to the observation deck, which is located above the castle. Then we went down and enjoyed the beautiful views. The climb is very steep, so I recommend going up the funicular.
Larysa Cohen (12 months ago)
Very beautiful castle. Well maintained and lots of fun to visit. You can't drive up right to the castle though . You have to park in the parking lot by the rail train. Then you have an opinion of either walking up a very steep hill for about 30 minutes or paying 12 euros a person for a train. We got a combo ticket (train and castle entrance) for 17 euros each.
Shashi Prakash (12 months ago)
Nice place to visit in summer. Even better if anyone likes to hike and visit. The design and architecture have been kept well to quite a great extent and the garden around the castle is also well maintained. One can travel till here by the mini train also if a hike is not a preference.
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