Bavaria

Bavaria possesses the densest castle landscape in Germany. In the Allgäu and Swabia alone, dozens of medieval fortifications line what were once military roads and trade routes. The Wittelsbachs, rulers of the Free State for centuries, left behind a unique legacy: magnificent palace residences such as Nymphenburg and Schleißheim stand alongside Romanesque castle ruins like Falkenstein and Donaustauf, each bearing witness to the power struggles of the past.

The Franconian regions around Bamberg, Würzburg and the Altmühl valley in particular rank among the most castle-rich landscapes in Europe. On every hill a tower seems to rise; in every valley a wall stands. The Plassenburg above Kulmbach, the Cadolzburg of the Hohenzollerns, and the Festung Rosenberg in Kronach all testify to the military engineering of the Middle Ages and the early modern period. At the same time, Kings Ludwig I and Ludwig II created dream palaces in the 19th century with Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein — castles that continue to draw millions of visitors from around the world.

Travelling through Bavaria means journeying through a living world of castles: many sites today house museums, concert halls or youth hostels. Knightly festivals, falconry displays and candlelit tours transform these ancient stones into lived history. The well-signposted Burgenstraße (Castle Road) and the Fränkischer Burgenweg (Franconian Castle Trail) invite visitors to discover the legacy of the Hohenstaufens, the Wittelsbachs and the Imperial Knights at their own pace.