I visited some of Germany’s most amazing castles, and I’ll take you on a tour. Germany has a lot of famous castles, like the Cochem castle and the Eltz castle. You even have castle grounds which are an unesco world heritage site, actually Germany has a total of 52 unesco world heritage sites but this is something for another blog. Let’s start the tour along some of the best medieval castles Germany has to offer.
Why are there so many ruins and castles in Germany?
Throughout the Middle Ages Germany in Northern Europe was divided into many smaller regions which was controlled primarily by King king, duke, prince of England or bishop of. These states constituted Holy Roman Empire controlled by Roman Emperors. However, the Emperor had confined his influence. Over the past 300 years the number of states in the Empire grew.
In truth, many of the people in a kingdom were very much in love. The rulers of states within Empire created castles in an attempt to control areas, protect them or serve as central authority. Castles symbolize power! Because of the Middle Ages Germany is now “owner” of beautiful castles for us to explore.
Burg Eltz
So the first stop is Burg Eltz, but to get there we had to park the car and walk through the forest. To be honest, this was a decent walk early in the morning but we came across some stunning views along the way. Burg Eltz itself was beautiful, since we arrived very early in the morning we were practically alone, this also meant that the castle itself was closed. But this didn’t matter since we were able to shoot some amazing shots of this beautiful castle.
What sets Burg Eltz apart is its exceptional state of preservation. Unlike many other castles in Germany, Burg Eltz survived centuries of war, conflict, and natural disasters virtually unscathed. This remarkable preservation is due in part to its remote location in the hills above the Moselle River, which made it difficult for attackers to reach. This is the reason you have to take a walk to reach the castle, but totally worth it!
Reichsburg Cochem
The castle itself was amazing, when on top you had a beautiful view over Cochem. You can’t reach it by car, instead we had to walk up a hill to reach the castle. This will take you around 10-15 minutes when starting in the center of Cochem.
Reichsburg Cochem has a history dating back over a thousand years. It was first mentioned in documents in the year 1130, although it’s believed to have been built earlier. Throughout its existence, the castle has undergone numerous renovations, expansions, and restorations, reflecting the changing architectural styles and historical periods. This makes Reichsburg Cochem also know as the Cochem Castle a must visit.
Nürburg Castle
We had to take a 50 minute drive to reach this castle, and unfortunately we couldn’t enter it. Due to renovation work being done to the castle. Luckily we had our drone with us to still shoot some amazing drone footage from above. You can really see and feel the German history in this stunning castle.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Nürburg Castle is its close association with the world-famous Nürburgring racing circuit. Built atop the rugged hills of the Eifel region, the castle overlooks the Nürburgring, which is renowned as one of the most challenging and iconic racetracks in the world.
Nürburg Castle has medieval origins dating back to the 12th century, making it an ancient and historically significant fortress.
Schloss Arenfels
Also known as Arenfels Castle, this amazing place is situated on a hill and surrounded with vineyards. And is one of the fairytale castles Germany has. This made it an amazing place to film and use our drone to capture some amazing footage. The castle is used for weddings and events, and they even have multiple rooms for you to stay in. The best place to create your own fairy tale.
The Arenfels castle is built in the 19th century, its picturesque design blends medieval and Renaissance elements, creating a timeless allure for visitors seeking beauty and history along the scenic Rhine Valley. I would highly recommend you to stop here if you’re nearby, or on a journey exploring the castles in Germany.
