I can imagine this spot gets very very busy in the summer. A Redwoods Road Trip Way More than San Francisco to Redwoods National Park! Mainz - arrival day (around 8am), easy day seeing sights within walking distance to hotel. We are Sandra and Michael and we love to discover the world. The sight of Hohenzollern Castle, which sits majestically on the top of the Zollerberg, totally thrilled us. Pork and beef in paprika sauce, ksesptzle (noodles with cheese sauce), and excellent pommes frites. A travel blog with stories beyond the brochure, March 10, 2022 | Michael Turtle | 17 Comments. Copyright 2022 Erin at Large | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme. From this side you usually have a very nice view in the direction of Stuttgart. A visit to the castle is a perfect day trip from Stuttgart, or from the Black Forest, or Schwarzwald, which is also very close. Proudly powered by. Amazon Storefront - Our Travel & Photo Equipment Dirk knows this castle well all 140 rooms of it. A few decades later, a second castle complex was built even larger and more fortified than before. We have to say that the parking lot is quite small and a sign indicates that this parking lot is reserved for hotel and restaurant guests. There are so many bloody castles in Germany, its hard to miss them!! A number of concerts, open air cinema, exhibitions and the famous Christmas market not only make the castle exciting and lively, but also make history come alive. Hohenzollern Castle is a perfect postcard motif because of its perfect location on the summit of the Zollerberg! Your email address will not be published. I love your description of the walk up to the castle it sounds magical! Its also cash only, but theres a ATM just up the road. This castle, which was once the Imperial seat of Prussia, home of Kings and Kaisers, is among the most beautiful in all of Europe. Theres an outdoor cafe kiosk serving pommes frites, snacks, coffee, hot chocolate, ice cream, and that sort of thing in the courtyard. Ochsen is a very local place. , In the Ancestral Hall there is a large book displayed in a case. View from the Zeller Horn to Hohenzollern Castle. You won't whiz past anything and can get on and off as you like, even walking between stations. It does look like a very large child has dropped it from the sky. The tours are conducted in German. The single waiter was very friendly, and we had a selection of Swabian dishes that were wonderful. While driving home, we decided to find somewhere other than a fast food place, and a rapid translation of German Yelp netted us this local gem in Balingen. Other group ticket prices, and reductions are available. 4. Nestled alluringly at the foothills of the Swabian Alps in Germany, is the Prussian Royal House, the Hohenzollem Castle. The first medieval castle on this square was probably built in the 11th century and first mentioned as Castro Zolre in 1267. The entrance to the castle complex is located at the Adlertor. Thank you! I love castles too, and I havent really been over to the Swabian part of our region (Freiburg, where we live, is in Baden) so it would be nice to go one of these days and see this castle. Archive - Many people would say its the best one in the country, but thats a hard thing to judge. Thanks. Its beautiful from a distance and then stunning when youre inside. Required fields are marked *. Here you will find, among other things, the weapon skirt of Frederick the Great, the Prussian royal crown, the famous snuff boxes of Frederick the Great, two of his traverse flutes and gemstone-studded tabatirs. Of course, a visit to Hohenuzollern Castle should not miss a visit to the interiors. Look out for our newsletters with travel tips and special offers. When it was built in the mid-19th century, there were upheavals all through Baden, Bavaria, and the Palatinate as the many smaller states made their shuddering way into Bismarcks German Empire. Even if it is just a showpiece now for a royal line blurred in the fog of memories past. Admittedly, they both look great from the valley, but HC was built in the 1850s and LP in the 1840s. Luckily theres an easy path uphill to follow. There are visitor options for entrance only, to enter the castle grounds and Burghoff, visit both the Catholic and Protestant chapels, explore the casements, and use the viewing platforms. To get from the parking lot to the castle, you can either walk or take the free shuttle bus between 10 am and 6.30 pm, which runs about every 10 minutes. Prussia was one of their more famous holdings, but the family originated in Swabia (which is partially contained in the current state of Baden-Wrttemberg) near the site of this castle. We really liked the path along the impressive castle walls and towers alone, because here you have already got a first impression of the mighty castle complex. The main attractions of the collection include the snuff boxes of Frederick the Great, his original garment with the legendary bullet hole, the robe of Queen Louise of Prussia and the astoundingly precious Prussian Royal Crown. We really enjoyed our day around Hohenzollern Castle and in the castle itself. Walk off your meal in the beautiful village of Balingen, with half-timbered houses all over the place. The Mosel will lead you on to Trier, and I think you could get away with a day, or just part of a day there. He is the great-great-grandson of the last German Emperor, Wilhelm II. If you intend on visiting Burg Hohenzollern before our more detailed story, or are really curious about the history, you can contact FoxyroxyK through Messenger on our Facebook page, linked in the sidebar. The classic German architecture and the neo-Gothic style of the castle is stunning. This is a bit longer at 1,100 meters, but not quite as steep. There was only a kind of staff or soldiers being responsible for the castle but there were a few decades where no family member was living here in the castle at all, only for visits or short stopovers.. Recording family trees on walls must be something for prominent families to do. The castle and the surroundings stayed with the family and today is owned by George Friedrich, the Prince of Prussia. Magical! I want emails from Fodor's Travel with travel information and promotions. Unfortunately, we could not take our own pictures of the interior of the castle, as photography and filming is not allowed in the showrooms. Seems like Germans have some of the most beautiful castles in the world, theyre like fantastical fortresses that would fit in one of George Martins books. You and your partner can travel together on a single Rheinland-Pfalz ticket, and it allows you some destinations on the right bank of the Rhine, on 2nd class trains as well as the whole left bank up to Koblenz. If I open my mouth and bite, Im sure I could eat the cloud thats surrounding me. At the large castle courtyard, a beautifully landscaped beer garden invites you to linger; here even the in-house beer of the Hohenzollern the Prussian Pilsner is served. Admission per child (6-17 years): 5 Euros for the castle tour. When I get to the top, the fog is even thicker. Wow. . Its funny how descendants of royalty continue to hold onto their titles. I think its really worth finding this spot, the drive there is through several picturesque little German towns and the walk is lovely. Lichtenstein Castle Fairytale castle in the Swabian Alb Mainz is also good as an end stop because it is so close to the airport. Advertising - Also one more question: will you have a car or stick to train? With a history dating back to the 11th century, the castle has gone through many hard times but is now restored back to its magnificence. A thousand years of family history. Im Erin, a Canadian freelance writer and editor currently based in southern Germany with my small family, after many years in the UK. After visiting the showrooms, we went to the treasury. This isn't a diary - these are real stories from the world. Love this? >> More info here about visiting Hohenzollern Castle <<. On site, the app automatically recognizes where you are in the castle courtyard or in the showrooms and begins with the explanations. Ive actually seen that before and was pretty puzzled by it. A couple of points: if you are already fretting about a slow boat then take the train up the Rhine. Im a sucker for a good castle so this is going on my list Love that first photo of the fog, eerie but beautiful. I want emails from Fodor's Travel with travel information and promotions. Your email address will not be published. To get there, park in the lot next to the Zollerstieghof, and take the white gravel path that goes around the back of the hotel. There are a total of 2 car parking spaces: The upper car park (P1) is the main car park, the lower car park (P2) is opened if necessary. Via the gate tower we reached the castle courtyard. The view of Hohenzollern Castle was so amazing and beautiful! This is a great castle you should definitely check it out when you get a chance. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Cookie Policy - Those presented here in this gallery depict the approach to the castle, the walk through the battlements, the Burghoff, some views of the casements, as well as the view of the surrounding country side from various locations on the Burg. August 2021Categories: Travel reports, Europe, The second one was constructed about 100 years later, and it flipped around between the Habsburgs and the French before everyone seemed to lose interest in it, and it was abandoned from 1798 onwards. On the tour, the kids get to wear royal robes which feature heavily in the family portraits on the walls, so my son was pretty chuffed about that. Freie Evangeliums-christen- Gemeinde Balingen (fecg-balingen) E.v. Wow, it commands respect even from a distance! And I know what you mean about being straight from a Game of Thrones book you can see someone trying to defend a castle like this from those evil Lannisters!! The castle is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. Tickets for the visit cost 22 EUR per adult and can currently only be purchased via the online ticket portal. Only since 2004 have the bomb-proof vaulted cellar rooms been open to the public. I can think of way better ways to decorate than adorning my walls with names of family members I dont even like! Go on a journey, discover the world, experience something new. ), I agree that a night close to the Burg would be a good idea. I love castles, but havent been to many in Germany. One of the most famous castles in Germany is Hohenzollern Castle in the state of Baden-Wrttemberg. These consist mainly of underground tunnels, secret passages and various rooms. This is a common feature of castles in the region, by the way. The tour begins in the very impressive family tree hall, where a castle employee gave us a very interesting introduction to the family tree of the Hohenzollern family. From here you have above all a great view over the Swabian Alb. The tours are fairly quick, about 45 minutes or so, but buggies are not allowed inside. I was respectful of that request, so the interior room photographs in the gallery are borrowed, with copyright information in the captions. That way you might win some time for Mainz. There are the golden chandeliers with candles that needed to be replaced every day, the high cathedral-like ceilings, the plush blue lounges in the queens chamber, the stained glass and the watchful statues. Why not stay at Trier and visit Luxemburg and Cochem from there? Arriving at the viewpoint Zellern Horn, we could not get out of the amazement. They may be gone but they are not forgotten. The walls along the edge are not very high in places, however, and there are not the railings you may be used to, so its best to keep firm hold of little hands. This is all detailed in a mural in one of the hallways inside the current castle. Any idea what that Prince is up to these days? I guess when you have that many rooms in a castle you can afford to use one for the family tree! Check official website for details. You get it from machines or the ticket windows in the station at Mainz, or if you reverse the order, the tickets are also at Koblenz. They suffer from the Neuschwanstein syndrome as I would call it. The fog rolled in overnight and now, as I climb the mountain, everything seems to be trapped within grey padding. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Fodor's may use your email address to send you relevant information on site updates, account changes, and offers. We have marked the exact hiking trail from the parking lot to the Zeller Horn here in Google Maps. In German LP is called a 'Schloss' (a palace). For more information about your privacy and protection, please review our full. The Castle is like something out of a fairytale. Alternatively, the road can also be used as a footpath. From there we went through various rooms such as the library, the Blue Salon, the Grafensaal and the Margraves Room and learned interesting Things to know about the life of the Hohenzollern Highnesses and Majesties. In addition, the statues of the Prussian kings can be found here. One Million Places Our travel reports from Baden-Wrttemberg Pictures cannot relay either its size, or its grandeur. So your nights would look like: How many days do you have on the ground? The decision to rebuild the castle in the 19th century, despite the family then being based in Berlin, shows how important it was to not let go of this history. There is only one boat from Koblenz to Cochem per day making it less viable, I think it leaves about 1pm. Hohenzollern Castle has not been a permanent residence for hundreds of years. FREE ebook: Traveling with Kids in Europe, Get regular updates about cultural travel around Europe. When you come to visit Burg Hohenzollern, you can see it from kilometres away, standing proud and exceptionally castle shaped on top of its little mountain. This is not on any tourist trail, so enjoy this little corner of the proper Swabian countryside. No family member of the Hohenzollerns was living here for long term so I would call it a kind of weekend house, Dirk says, to more chuckles. I found this place thanks to Be My Travel Muse. I feel like you need to encourage the Germans when they try to show a sense of humour. Yeah, at first I thought the fog was really annoying but then it made the photos so eerie that I ended up loving it!! This castle is a reconstruction from the 19th century but more than a millennia of history is contained at the top of this mountain. You could call it the heart of Swabia, or the southwest of Germany, the castles guide, Dirk Horrmann, tells me. You will want to arrange your places on an English-language tour when you check in at the top castle gate it is the only way to see the interior rooms. For the walk you should plan about 20 minutes. But of course you know Tbingen is closer to the Burg than Stuttgart, and there is also a train that runs from Tbingen to Hechingen, which is the closest town to the Burg. Privacy Statement - Above admission price is per adult for the castle tour. Your email address will not be published. Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion. This treasury is filled with art historical items like paintings, sculptures and silversmith works and china. Las Vegas - 57 Free Things to Do for All Types of Travelers. The medieval castle built in the 11th century withstood a year of siege by the collected armies of the Swabian Free Imperial Cities, and a junior Hohenzollern brother, before it was completely destroyed in 1423. Mainz in particular has a lot to offer the visitor, even if it is the rather tempting gateway to the rest of the middle Rhine gorge. Both are fake. Thus, todays castle complex with the multi-towered castle and the mighty fortifications was jointly restored in the 19th century by both branches of the House of Hohenzollern in neo-Gothic style and is still in their private possession today. If youre going as a family, definitely take the minibus as the walk up is an energetic hill climb, and there will be walking once youre up there. If it feels a bit like a museum, I guess thats because it is. We were there firmly in the off-season, and it was FREEZING, and there were three guys having beers sitting on the rocks, two other photographers fussing over their shots, and us. I probably should have started with that. We really liked the specially developed castle app, with which you can be guided through the showrooms on the basis of an audio castle tour. You buy your tickets at the bottom, and they are checked as you enter the castle. It is titled Burg Hohenzollern October 1867 and has a German inscription around the crest: .. God With Us I forgot what the book is about? Although it cannot be called a museum, the historical importance of the castle is depicted through its precious art collection. From here we walked along a curved path and several tunnels up to the castle. = External Links / Affiliate Links. If you have a squirmy one under 5 years old, the tour may not be worth it. Check official website for details. Parts of The Michaels Chapel are dated back to the years 1454 to 1461 making it the only surviving building of the second castle. We have already seen many impressive photo photos of the castle, which is build on a 855 meter high, isolated and prominent mountain hill. However, we were very early in the morning at the parking lot, so that only a few cars were there and the restaurant operation had not yet begun. You do wonder why you wouldnt live in such a splendid home if it belonged to you. He is a prince but he has no political power. In 1423 this castle was conquered and destroyed. Most of the real castles in Germany (I'm afraid there aren't many left) are from the high Middle Ages (about 1100 - 1300 AD). Required fields are marked *. Cochem could also be reached by Mosel river boat from Koblenz. I believe he actually works and lives a relatively normal life (for someone who is very wealthy and still has a certain amount of social influence in the country). The 600 meter long hiking trail is partly very steep and leads over stairs to the castle. You know, Germany is a republic so these times are gone.. This is the family tree of the Hohenzollerns, Dirk says. Sitting on a hill-top, it can be seen for miles, a stunning and appropriately regal sight. Burg Hohenzollern is located in Baden-Wurtemburg, the South-western most state of Germany, in the town of Bisingen, south of Stuttgart. I don't want to keep you from going there, but I want you to not being disappointed when going there. Be sure to click on the pictures to see them in full size! I love the image of the extraordinary family tree and think the fog approved perfect for your photos! Prince George Frederick of Prussia, which just made all of my castle dreams that much more real and it is clear why more than 300,000 people visit this beauty on the top of MountHohenzollern every year. Rhine river cruise from Bingen to Boppard - possibly Eltz, Day trip to Hohenzollern & Lichtenstein castles, Colmar, possibly Haut Koenigsbourg Castle, https://www.vrminfo.de/en/tickets/ti-pfalz-ticket/. Welcome to Burg Hohenzollern. You should probably figure on the first day being a slow day, where you don't drive and spend much of the day dozing, if you have been on a night flight and arrive in the morning. You can approach the castle on foot from the parking lots, or by taking a minibus up for about 3 Euros. I've planned to stay 3 nights in Mainz, 3 in Strasbourg, and 3 in Luxembourg, with day trips to Cologne, Rhine KD cruise, Colmar, Trier and Cochem respectively. On the following map you have a good overview of the entire castle complex and the hiking trails. They moved to Berlin to take their place in the leadership of the German Empire and just never came back. You could go up the Rhine early in the day (fast train or slow boat), drop your bags in a locker at Cologne Hbf, see the cathedral as it's just at the train station, and hop back into a train for Cochem (I think you change in Koblenz). Interestingly, neither of the previous versions of the castle were destroyed during the Thirty Years War, which ravaged so much of this end of Germany. And where do you enter and depart from (Luxemburg)? The viewpoint itself is amazing, even if you dont take many photos, but it is very unofficial, and its literally a rocky outcropping with a steep drop-off. Another option is entrance plus tour, which also includes a guided tour of the interior, including the family tree room, the Queens chambers and the Kings chambers, and the treasury. Eltz Castle The beautiful fairytale castle Photography is not allowed inside the castle rooms. Theres a small kids menu too. Have you tried plotting out day by day which cities you will visit? There are lots of tables, and its quite beautiful really, so if you need to kill time while someone else does the tour, its not much of a hardship. At a later date, Gypsy With a Day Job will publish a story on the castle, its significance in the history of Prussia, Europe, and the world, as well as some of its more notable former residents, such as Frederich the Great, whose statue is featured in this gallery. Your other destinations are all worthy in their own right IMO so make sure you don't just do the side excursions and neglect the destinations. I get the sense hes told that joke before but everyone in the group still chuckles. So we were already very excited about our visit. On some days this year, the royal chambers can be visited at will, check official website for details. The shuttle bus station is located next to the parking shop in the upper parking lot P1. Since during our visit to the northern area of the outdoor area around the New Bastion and the Foxhole Bastion renovation work on the bastion wall took place, we unfortunately could not visit this part. Burg Hohenzollern version three came to be right in the middle of this, and Im sure the giant idealized castle on a hill was a bit of a heavy-handed exercise in Making A Point. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2022 Gypsy With a Day Job. Its interior is similar to Neuschwanstein's very kitschy. Your email address will not be published. We have kindly received some media pictures from the press office of the castle, which we are happy to show you here. The Hohenzollern family has a long and illustrious past in Prussia, so it might cause some confusion to find their ancestral seat down south in Baden-Wrttemberg. There is no railing, and its a bit intense. The dramatic photos of the castle from a distance are taken from a specific view point about a half an hour drive away. Or, youcan see the Burg Hohenzollern website. Its not the easiest to get to, though, so you will have to plan it a bit carefully. Parking is available free of charge to castle visitors. You could then move onto Luxembourg. My active seven year old was fine, and there are a few benches. There are currently no guided tours, but you can explore the showrooms independently. But due to the dense forest at this point you have almost no view of the castle, so its not really worth it. The winding walk up to the castle courtyard, and the exterior walks, are beautiful and afford pretty astounding views out over the countryside. There is actually a bus from Hechingen - if you have a look at bahn.de (bahn.com) you can plug in the end destination and get information about your whole route, including buses, so I guess you could in fact dispense with the rental car altogether if you didn't have to take luggage with you. This experienced an eventful history and fell into ruin in the 19th century, so that Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm von Preussen decided in 1819 to rebuild the ancestral castle of the House of Hohenzollern. Since the pictures of the castle on the mobile phone seem quite small. We were blessed to visit Burg Hohenzollern, or Hohenzollern Castle, on a glorious May afternoon. Now, though, instead of trees poking through the haze, its the entrance to an old castle with the intimidating portcullis raised as a welcome from the grey. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. I think you could do that combination in about 2 days (having given Mainz and the Rhine their due beforehand). Fancy a good night's sleep after a tiring day? The tour through the different rooms took about 45 minutes. Theres a white tablecloth restaurant inside, but if youre wrestling small people, this is probably not your deal either. There was absolute silence, because we were except for one photographer the only ones on site and the sky seemed slightly dramatic due to the cloud movements. Alternatively, you can use the larger parking lot Skilift/Dagersbrunnen2, located about 600 meters further ahead. Las Vegas 57 Free Things to Do for All Types of Travelers, 30 Things to Do At and Near Meramec Caverns, Go Beyond Muscle Shoals, with A Weekend in The Shoals, 43 Things to Do in Frankenmuth Michigans Little Bavaria. Hi Sam, I would pick Tbingen over Stuttgart any day generally for how picturesque it is (I personally don't think much of Stuttgart), but as I haven't been to Burg Hohenzollern myself I can't speak to ease of access. Lovely pictures. We write in our blog One Million Places with a lot of passion about the adventures we experience on our journeys. 72379 Burg Hohenzollern, Germany, 72379, Munich. We had first thought about walking from the parking lot to the castle to take some nice photos. We begin in the entrance room where the family tree of the owners is painted on all the walls. Right next to the treasury is the entrance to the casemates. Its a majestic castle. Hohenzollern Castle Official Website & Online Tickets This sounds like an extra thing that is too much of a pain with kids in tow, but to be honest, theres a good 20-minute walk up a trail before you get there, and it was a really good break from all the driving in the car. The fog annoyed me at first but then I loved the atmosphere it created. People normally club together Gaststatte Ochsen and Schoenbuch Nature Park while planning their visit to Hohenzollern Castle. The Rhine from Koblenz to Cologne is unfortunately not so pretty at there are a number of factories and a nuclear power plant at that section. On a day when theres no fog, the castle at the top of the mountain is one of the most iconic images of this region. Its worth noting you cant take photos of any kind inside during the tour. The hike to the viewpoint in the early morning was a successful start to the sightseeing day and the castle tour a great highlight. This can only be reached on foot, so we parked our car at the parking lot of the Berghotel Zollersteighof and walked from here about 20 minutes to the viewpoint. Exclusive evening tours are also offered. A thousand years ago, the family which would eventually rule this part of Germany and then the whole country established their home here. I can make out the trees nearby but I cant see too far ahead. They dont get into it on the tour, however, probably because the castle is privately owned by the Hohenzollern family. A lot of your problems might be resolved by driving. Hohenzollern Castle sits majestically on an 855-metre-high mountain cone on the edge of the Swabian Alb in Baden-Wrttemberg. Before we walked into the castle courtyard, we made a detour to the garden bastion, which is located below the castle courtyard on the southwestern side of the castle complex. Beautiful! We will also share more detailed visitor information, as well as a few more pictures we have saved for the article. I think this is the castle Andy really wants to see. If you are travelling September or even October there will be opportunities to taste the new wine from the wineries along the Mosel (roter Rauscher and Federweisser), making it perhaps nice to stay the night on the Mosel. After working in broadcast journalism for a decade in Australia, Michael left Sydney to travel the world indefinitely and write about the places, people and experiences he discovers. Dont be afraid, I dont want to tell you all the details.. I would also factor in less time for Cologne unless you are a museum fan, the city itself is not so attractive but the museums and the cathedral are the drawcards, so perhaps a cruise up the Rhine to Cologne and sightsee there on the same day. Our tip: If you have the opportunity, you should definitely take a good telephoto lens with you. Check out where to stay in Munich and book an accommodation of your choice. I also like Luxembourg, is that where you will do your trip to Cochem and Trier? There is a parking lot a short way up the hill, equipped with rest rooms, benches, and a gift shop. Check official website for details. The current castle is the third to be built on the Berg Hohenzollern, and its more of a memorial to the might of the Hohenzollern family than a home or even a fortress. I think the distance from Strasbourg would still be a pain if you were just going to do a day trip from there (5 hours round trip! Tasteful Theme on Genesis Framework. After registering, I can manage my newsletter subscriptions by visiting my Profile Settings page. With the fog, it almost looks spooky! Like ten tables, and at least three of them seem to know each other in that neighbours running into each other at the grocery store kind of way. But its here, inside the rooms, that you can really appreciate the royal influence.
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