Castles and fortresses in Germany

Schwerin Castle is located in the city centre on a small island between the lakes Schweriner See and Burgersee. The castle is open to visitors and you can visit the castle museum or take a stroll in the castle garden. Nearby, these sights are particularly recommended: the Statliches Museum, the Siegessaüle, the Altes Palais, the historic Marstall stable building and the classical State Chancellery.

For more information about Schwerin Castle see their website.

Every year in July and August the magnificent Castle Festival is held, a festival for opera enthusiasts where productions by Puccini, Verdi and others are staged in stunning settings and attract tens of thousands of guests to Schwerin.

The castle is considered one of the most important Renaissance castles in the Nordic countries. The water castle is located in the town of Glücksburg on a dammed-up dam, which was built on a 2.5-metre-high granite plinth. The connection to land was over a bridge. Before the Second Schleswig War in 1864, the castle was a Danish royal residence where Frederik VII spent part of his time and he died here in 1863, the year before the war.

The main attraction in Ahrensburg is the beautiful white Renaissance castle, Schloss Ahrensburg. It is located in the middle of the green castle park - on a small island in the middle of a lake. Built in the late 1500s, the castle was converted into a museum in 1955 and now houses furniture, porcelain and art. In addition, part of the museum tells about the castle and the history of the area.

Visit Gottorp Castle with its beautiful baroque gardens and three art museums; the National Museum of Art, Cultural History and Archaeology.

The castle is located at the bottom of the river Slien and has played an important role in the many wars between the Danish kings and the Gottorp dukes.

Frederik I also ruled Denmark from Gottorp Castle.

This impressive Baroque castle dates from the first half of the 18th century and is located just east of Leonorenwald in north-western Mecklenburg. The castle was built for Count Hans Caspar von Bothmer and is the largest Baroque castle in the whole of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. After an extensive renovation, between 2009 and 2015, the castle is today open to the public and houses a museum centred on the count's exciting life.

At the western end of Regensburg is the Schottenkirche, originally a Benedictine monastery founded by Irish monks in 1150. Today it is a Roman Catholic parish church and is named after the numerous Scottish monks and missionaries who lived here in the years between 1560 and 1860. One of the highlights of the building is the stunningly ornate Scottish entrance, at the north end of the church, which makes it one of Germany's most important Romanesque buildings.

Oranienburg Castle is a beautiful Baroque castle located in the heart of the almost 800-year-old town of Oranienburg. The castle was built in the mid-17th century and is situated on the banks of the Havel River. The castle was renovated from 1997 to 1999 and opened with a fantastic exhibition, where you can see, among other things, the porcelain room and the silver money box filled with beautiful precious stones.

Visit the beautiful castle of Rheinsberg in Brandenburg. Originally a medieval castle with moats stood here. Later it was rebuilt as a Renaissance castle, but it was badly damaged during the Thirty Years' War before being sold in 1618. In 1736, after a succession of owners, Crown Prince Frederick - later King Frederick II (the Great) - moved in and is said to have spent the happiest moments of his life at the castle.

The Palace of Mannheim is the city's most famous landmark and one of the largest Baroque palaces in Europe. It was originally commissioned by the city's prince Karl Phillip in 1720. Today the beautiful palace houses parts of the University of Mannheim and in 2007 the palace was renovated after many years when no one had done anything to maintain the old building. The palace is therefore an obvious destination on a cheap car holiday in Germany.

Nymphenburg Castle is a Baroque castle located northwest of Munich. The beautiful castle is located in the middle of the castle grounds surrounded by woodlands, small lakes and a landscape garden. Inside, the castle features throne rooms and gold-painted walls. The castle was originally built in the Italian style in 1674 by Elector Ferdinand Maria of Bavaria. The castle was extended over time and soon the castle park had also become a huge attraction.

Take a trip to Nymphenburg Castle and experience true opulence in beautiful natural surroundings, a visual and historical experience for the whole family.

Schloss Pillnitz, or simply Pillnitz Castle, is a beautifully restored Baroque palace located in the eastern part of Dresden, in the German state of Saxony. The castle served as the summer residence of a number of kings and electors of Saxony, and it was also here that the Pillnitz Declaration was signed in 1791.

The palace consists of three main buildings, the Wasserpalais, which is on the river bank, the Bergpalais, which is on the mountain side and also contains Chinese-inspired architecture, and then there is the Neues Palais, which connects the buildings on the eastern side. The palace's Baroque garden is very famous and is then again surrounded by a large public park.

Pillnitz Castle also houses the Museum of Decorative Arts and the Palace Museum. An exciting trip back in time and an ideal family outing that the whole family will enjoy to the full.

The state of Saxony has a lot of castles and fortresses, in fact almost 1,000 beautiful buildings, which offer a lot of interesting history. Find a cheap family holiday in the south at Risskov with child-friendly hotels and plenty of opportunity to set your own pace. Festung Königstein, or Königstein Fortress, certainly belongs in this unique pool of exciting German history and is the largest hilltop fortress in Europe. Built on a 9.5-hectare rocky plateau, 240 metres above the Elbe, this fortress contains over 50 buildings, which are surrounded by an 1,800-metre-long fortress wall, with the wall up to 42 metres high in places. In the centre of the fortress is a 152.5 metre deep well, which is also the second deepest in Europe.

Used as a state prison, the fortress is still intact and today houses one of Saxony's main tourist attractions. Festung Königstein also has a special map to help wheelchair users find their way around. There is also a tactile model, which gives the visually impaired a better opportunity to experience the fortress by touch.

A great experience for the whole family. Go on a self-drive family holiday and enjoy the many beautiful buildings from other centuries with Risskov.

Agathenburg Castle was built in 1655 by Swedish Hans Christoph. The castle is situated in scenic surroundings with a view of the Elbe Valley. Here you can experience stately architecture, visit the exciting exhibition at the castle and take a walk in the beautiful castle park.

Falkenstein Castle located on the beautiful hilltop in Selketal. The whole area is a nature reserve with the possibility of several good hikes. The castle was built between 1120 and 1150 and belongs to one of the most fortified castles in the Harz. Its strategic location on top of the 320-metre-high hill made the castle extremely difficult to capture, and despite several attempts it never succeeded. Today, the castle serves as a museum and is a popular tourist destination, as the area is part of the Roman Road, a beautiful eight-valley route centred in Magdeburg and linking the breathtaking Romanesque monasteries, cathedrals and castle built between 950 and 1250, which also represents the beginning of Christianity in this part of Germany. The 1,000km route features over 72 buildings across 60 different sites in the Eighth Region.

Schloss Döbbelin is a beautiful old manor house built in 1736 and belongs to the Hanseatic town of Stendal. The building is predominantly baroque, with visible renovations here and there. The owner of the estate was Hans-Christoph von Bismarck, who inherited the land back in 1730.

Go on an exciting driving holiday in Germany and take a trip to the majestic Hohenzollern Castle, situated on top of the Hohenzollern mountain, a whopping 855 metres above sea level. The castle was home to the Hohenzollern family, who came to power in the Middle Ages and ruled Prussia and Brandenburg until the 1st century AD. World War.

Originally built in the early 11th century, the castle was heavily damaged after a siege in 1423. The new castle was built between 1454 and 1461, and was the place of exile for the Hohenzollern family during wartime, including the Thirty Years' War. Find a cheap summer holiday in the south with the whole family and discover the many exciting sights Germany has to offer.

Visit the graceful baroque castle of Clemenswerth, which takes visitors on a fascinating journey through time in the style of an elector. The castle is one of the most attractive cultural monuments in northern Germany. A total of eight avenues flanked by lime trees lead up to the beautiful hunting lodge. The historic building is incredibly well preserved and surrounded by eight pavilions, including the castle chapel with the Capuchin monastery, which is still in use today.

Just 3 km east of the centre of Dresden you will find the three stunning castles on the Elbe. Schloss Albrechtsberg, Lingnerschloss and Schloss Eckberg are known as the three castles on the Elbe and they are a great visit while strolling along the river. If you cross to the other side of the river you can enjoy the castles at their best. All three were built between 1850 and 1861 and are set in fine English-style parkland.

Go on a family holiday and visit Marienburg Castle. As if plucked from a fairytale and beautifully nestled in the hills of the historic landscape of Calenberger Land lies this truly exceptional gem of a castle. It was originally a gift from King George V of Hanover to his beloved wife Queen Marie. The castle was built between 1858 and 1867 and became the Queen's summer residence. After the war in 1866, Prussia annexed Hanover and King George V and Queen Marie went into exile in Austria. The palace was therefore never completely finished and stands today almost as it did then. Therefore, it is highly recommended for the whole family to take a tour of the dream castle and discover the sumptuously decorated rooms and the shining crown jewels, which still belong to the Kingdom of Hanover. The castle is therefore an obvious place to visit on a cheap summer holiday south to Germany.

Visit the beautiful Schloss Drachenburg, located on the outskirts of Bonn. After an extensive renovation, visitors can now walk through the castle and experience what life was like back in the 19th century. Also take a walk in the large palace park surrounding the castle.

End your visit with a tour of the Museum zur Geschichte des Naturschutzes, housed in a building right next to the castle.