One of the most beautiful castles in Germany is the medieval Eltz Castle in Rhineland. The appearance of the 12th-century castle is reminiscent of the age of chivalry. In contrast to Neuschwanstein Castle, the stone castle hidden in the Eltz forest is more modest, hidden and less known. Maybe that's what gives it its charm.
If you loved fairy tales about heroes, princesses and dragons as a child, you would like the fortress. It is a must-do program when visiting the area with children!
Overview
| Eltz Castle | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Germany |
| Address | Eltz Castle, 56294 Wierschem, Germany |
| Parking | 2 - 5 euros (20 mins walk) |
| Season | Apr-Oct, every day |
| Opening hours | 9:30 - 17:30 (40 mins guided tours) |
| Prices | 6 - 12 euros |
| Child-friendly? | Yes |
| Dog-friendly? | No |
| Barrier-free? | No |
| Year | 1157 |
| Website | burg-eltz.de |
Photos
Looking at the shape of the more than 850-year-old castle, it resembles a palace rotating on duck legs. Built on a small hill, it expands towards the sky with its 320 meters. This gives the castle a unique look.
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Map - Where is Eltz Castle?
The castle is located in Germany, north of the Black Forest. It is located in the western part of the country, in the Rhineland Palatinate. The nearest major cities are Cologne and Frankfurt. The castle is only 20 km from the city of Koblenz.
- Address: 56294 Wierschem, Germany
- Distance from Frankfurt: 2 hours / 150 km
- Distance from Cologne: 1.5 hours / 110 km
- Distance from Stuttgart: 3.5 hours / 280 km
Parking
You can park your car in the nearby parking lot. The parking fee is 2 euros for cars and motorbikes, and 4 euros for buses or camper vans.
You can reach the castle on several footpaths from the parking lot, and on weekends there is also a shuttle bus, a bus service to Eltz Castle. The ticket for the bus costs 2 euros one way. You will find the bus stop at the Antonius Chapel.
- Distance on foot: 1.3 km / 20 minutes
- Distance by bus: 800 m / 10 minutes
The location of the castle
Interestingly, the castle is not located in the mountains but the Eltz valley. Surrounded by the Eltz forest, it was built on top of a small hill (70 m). The forest is a calm nature reserve, closed from heavy traffic, and home to many diverse and unique species of plants and animals. The area has been protected since 200.
The history of the castle
The construction of the castle began before 1157. The late Romanesque castle tower and the Romanesque residential house have remained unchanged to this day.
Did you know that Eltz Castle has not been torn apart by any war? Neither the wars of the 17th and 18th centuries nor the later great French Revolution damaged the castle's appearance, so the castle luckily escaped any damage. Today - apart from minor changes - you can see the castle as it was finished.
The castle was located on the former Roman trade route, which connected the farms and the fair.
There was once a village on the castle's southern side where the servants and their families lived. The village has completely disappeared, so you can only see it from drawings.
The same family has owned the castle for more than 8 centuries! The castle is currently owned by Dr Karl Graf von und zu Eltz-Kempenich. The castle was not always open to visitors. The gates of Eltz Castle were opened to the public by its current owner.
Admission and prices
A ticket to Eltz Castle is mandatory, which you can buy at the castle entrance. It is not possible to buy tickets online as far as we know. The entrance fee is 11 euros for adults and 7 euros for students. Families of 4 (2 children, 2 parents) need to pay 30 euros for entry.
- Adult ticket: 11 euros
- Student ticket: 6 euros
(Prices might slightly increase every year!)
Opening hours
During the season, the castle can only be visited as part of a group guided tour every day between 9:30 and 17:30. The guided tour takes about 40 minutes and starts every 10-15 minutes.
- Season: Apr-Oct
- Opening hours: 09:30 - 17:30, every day
- Guided tours: 40 minutes (starts every 15 mins)
- Closed: Nov - March
Renovations are constantly taking place in the castle, which can sometimes be noticed outside. However, this does not affect the opening hours and room visits in most cases.
Peak time in the castle is between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. If you want to avoid the big crowd, arrive in the morning or after 3 pm...
The Eltzi dispute - The castle's most famous battle
There was only one such riot in history, during which Eltz Castle was also involved. During the conflict between 1331-1336, the lords of Eltz and several free knights defended the castle against the troops of Archbishop Balduin von Trier and Elector.
After the archbishop's armies could not take the castle, even after long attempts, they built a counter-castle on the top of the rock above the castle. The castle is now in ruins, but you can still see its remains today.
The defenders of the castle held out for two years, but after the last grain was baked into bread and the defenders were completely exhausted from hunger, they gave up the castle.
More about the castle
Many consider the castle's most impressive jewel to be the eight towers. Of course, you can admire this from the outside, but if you go inside the building, you can also see the treasury, the armoury and many other castle rooms.
The castle is unique in terms of its architecture, as you will not find anything similar to its style elsewhere. Another interesting feature of the castle is that many furnishings (tools, tables, chairs, etc.) are still in their original condition.
The castle has already been visited by many notables, perhaps its most famous admirer was Viktor Hugo.
Child-friendly?
Yes, absolutely. The castle tour will be a great experience for kids as well. A reduced price also applies to the small ones.
Barrier-free?
No, unfortunately, you can't visit the castle with a wheelchair or stroller.
Dog-friendly?
As far as we know, you can't visit the castle's rooms with a dog.
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