Have you ever wished you could live out a fairytale? A tour of Germany’s castles can bring the fairytale stories of childhood to life. From Neuschwanstein Castle, Walt Disney’s inspiration for Cinderella’s Castle, to Rapunzel’s tower, many of Germany’s most impressive fortresses were the spark that inspired our favorite childhood stories.
Imposing citadels and elegant, ornate royal palaces transport you back in time to another era, and allow you to literally walk in the footsteps of your favorite fairytale heroines. Many of them double as museums, making them more than just nifty snapshots, you can actually wander the hallways of the royal residences that inspired all those stories you loved as a kid. It’s no wonder Germany’s castles lure some 20 million visitors a year. When we think of royal families, Britain’s House of Windsor is the first to come to mind.
But what many don’t know is that perhaps the world’s most famous family of royalty are all descendants of a handful of German lineages, some of which extend back in time before the fairytale era. As befits these credentials, lineages like Saxe- Coburg-Gotha brought about some of Germany’s most incredible castles, like Ehrenburg. Located in the Bavarian town of Coburg, this former 15th-century monastery has been rebuilt and rebuilt again: once in 1543 to convert it to a royal residence; and, after being gutted by fire, in 1690, when it became the imposing Baroque behemoth it is today. Here you can retrace the footsteps of Britain’s famous 19th-century Queen Victoria and her husband Albert, for whom Ehrenburg was a favorite escape from the dreariness of the English winter.
In the area of Hanover, another symbol of Germany’s royal heritage stands perched atop a wooded hill: Castle Marienburg. Its fairytale turrets with their conical tops form a Neo-Gothic landmark that turns the skyline into an illustration from a storybook. It also serves as the ancestral home of Germany’s oldest noble dynasty, the Guelphs, and it has been their summer residence for centuries. Today, it is a popular vacation home for a real-life prince and princess: the Prince of Hanover, Ernst August and his wife, the glamorous Princess Caroline of Monaco. It was opened to the public as a celebration of German heritage in 2006, and can be toured when the Prince and Princess are not relaxing on its grounds.
Bavaria is home to Germany’s most famous castle: Neuschwanstein. Built by King Ludwig of the Wittelsbach dynasty, this immense mountaintop castle has served as the model for perhaps the most recognizable fairytale castle of all: Disney’s Cinderella’s Castle. Everything about this castle is grand and expansive, from the grounds to the architectural details, the façade to the interiors. It’s no wonder it is the most photographed site in Germany.
Trendelburg Castle is distinctive for the high-reaching tower that is its centerpiece, and it is the former home of a very famous long-haired princess you may know. It was from this tower that Rapunzel let down her flaxen locks. And the quaint town of Sababurg is Dornroeschen Castle, home to another favorite storybook heroine: Sleeping Beauty. Dornroeschen now doubles as a hotel, so you can slumber in the same place, maybe even the very room where the princess-to-be dozed until her prince came to wake her. During the summers, the castle stages a special version of the story of “Sleeping Beauty and the Prince” with a special, secret twist.
Another medieval event takes place in the town of Kaltenberg, a small village with 500 inhabitants in Bavaria, that becomes the center of medieval life each July. It is the classic battle between the villain, the Black Knight, and the underdog, a young Bavarian Knight, who match up in a breathtaking tournament-battle. Festivities last all day with feasting for the visitors and a medieval trade fair.
Another of Germany’s oldest group of actual royals, the Hohenzollerns-whose presence dates back at least to the 10th-century-produced some of Germany’s most amazing castles. In fact, you can literally trace the route of the royals, as there is an entire scenic road through the Black Forest dedicated to this family. Towns like Glatt and Haigerloch are home to romantic Renaissance-era castles that come complete with moats, just like in a children’s book. A true dazzler of the Hohenzollern Route is the enormous Castle Sigmaringen, a gorgeous fortress perched high above the Danube atop a white limestone cliff.
The Hohenzollerns built a litany of other castles along this route, including Hechingen’s Hohenzollern Castle. As the name suggest, this is the palace of the family, perched atop the Swabian Alb, the vast green plateau that gives way to the Black Forest, and the castle is surrounded by views that have drawn the likes of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Those who are dazzled by jewels will certainly not be disappointed. The castle is home to everything from the Hohenzollern family heirlooms to the crowns of the Prussian kings.
One of the most impressive German castles turned museum is Dresden’s Green Vault. Located inside the Dresden Royal Palace, the Green Vault is home to the largest collection of royal treasures in all of Europe. The stately possessions of Saxony’s rulers are exhibited here, and the collection is nothing short of astonishing. These are not just simple “glass slippers” or princess tiaras. From statues imbedded with gold and emeralds and a solid gold tea service to a miniature model of an Indian palace, said to be worth as much as an actual palace in today’s euros, these are riches that defy the imagination. But the most spectacular of the Green Vault’s pieces are its 48 carat Saxon White Diamond, and the 41 carat Green Diamond. Or, if sapphires are more your style, there is one given as a gift from Czar Peter I of Russia. It weighs in at 648 carats!
While you’re taking in all this regal and whimsical beauty, be sure to take a stroll to relax the way the royals did. Many of Germany’s castles are set against magnificent gardens. There are countless examples throughout the country, from Berlin’s Charlottenburg Palace and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Potsdam’s Sanssouci, which are perhaps the most famous, to Hanover’s Herrenhaeuser Garden, which is a local favorite. Nymphenburg in Munich is home to an impressive array of fountains. But one of Germany’s best-kept secrets is the Dessau-Worlitz Garden Realm in the eastern part of the country. It is one of the first and largest English parks in continental Europe, and is home to some of the first Neo-Gothic structures on the continent as well. Alongside the gorgeous palaces are vibrant gardens, sculptures, wide-open spaces and lakes connected by languid canals.
Whether you tour Germany’s castles with your family or your own Prince Charming, the beauty, grandeur and elegance of Germany’s rich heritage and exciting future mean your vacation will be sure to end happily ever after.
European Family Discovery is a wonderful family vacation that visits London, France, Switzerland, Austria and Germany. Browse all Germany tours 2012.
