Harburg Castle: Germany’s Romantic Road
Now Go See It is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
The hilltop Castle has been towering above the medieval village of Harburg for nearly ten centuries.
Visiting Harburg Castle: (Jump To)
During our time in Munich, we spent a day traveling the Romantic Road. We booked a full-day itinerary from Munich through our partner, Viator. The trip included Harburg Castle and Rothenburg.
An early morning start landed us in the small Bavarian town of Harburg. The village lies on the bank of the Wörnitz river.
About Harburg Castle
The hilltop Harburg Castle has been towering above the medieval village for nearly ten centuries.
In 1150 the thirteen-year-old son of King Conrad III sent a letter to his aunt in Constantinople. In the letter was the first known reference to Harburg Castle. The exact date of construction is unclear but the letter dates the castle to at least the 12th century. Roman artifacts found at the site provide some evidence that the location has been an important fortification since the 10th-century Ottonian dynasty.
The castle is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in all of Europe. Guided tours are offered every hour during the castle's open hours. Tickets can be booked in advance online.
Visiting Harburg Castle
We visited the castle early on a foggy autumn morning. The entrance to the courtyard is through a sunken gate in the thick stone castle wall. The courtyard is surrounded by a tall stone and wooden half-timbered wall with red-roofed castle towers. An ancient well sits at the center of the courtyard.
Our tour guide was a middle-aged angry woman who started the tour by calling out a member of our tour group whom she thought didn’t buy a ticket. The guide screamed at the confused tourist as though she was scolding a child. It was an off-putting beginning to the tour. We spent the rest of the tour in fear that we would make her angry.
Harburg Castle Tour
The tour gives an in-depth history of the royal family and their time in the castle. The guide shows off multiple rooms filled with things that royal families like to keep around. The same royals have owned the castle since they took possession in the 14th century.
Speaking of kings; The king of pop, Michael Jackson, reportedly called Harburg “the castle of my dreams” and tried unsuccessfully to buy it.
The highlight of the tour was walking the castle walls and admiring the centuries-old wooden beams and architecture. Walking the walls and examining the thickness and strength of the building makes it clear why the castle was never sieged. The thousand-year-old wood creaks beneath your feet.
During the tour, a horrifying visit to the prison tower shows off a claustrophobic former dungeon; literally a caged pit. There were some examples of medieval punishment tools of torture on display. I’m pretty sure it’s the guide’s favorite part of the tour.
There are multiple buildings in the castle complex including a church, a hall, and numerous towers of varying use and importance. The 60-minute tour went by at a fast pace and felt like the right length for our interest. After the tour, we lingered in the courtyard for a few minutes before continuing on the Romantic Road to Rothenburg.
If you’re interested in another great German castle check out Neuschwanstein.
This is part of our five days in Munich itinerary, which is part of our Two Week Germany Itinerary.
