| If you like castles, you'll love Germany, for Germany | | | | public tours for 5 euros per head. |
| has castles the way Venice has canals, or Norway | | | | 5. The Marksburg |
| has fjords, or the Napa Valley has wineries. There are | | | | The Marksburg. Indeed, the Marksburg is perched on a |
| literally scores of them, virtually in every German state | | | | hill on the shores of the Rhine, high above the town of |
| and seemingly on every other hilltop, especially along | | | | Braubach in the Rhine Valley. And make no mistake, |
| the river Rhine. There are schlosses, which are | | | | the Marksburg is not just another one of those 19th |
| essentially castles or palaces, and there are burgs, | | | | century imitations - and yes, there are several of those |
| which are castles or fortresses; and then there are | | | | in Germany as well! - this is the real thing, boasting one |
| festungs, quite simply, fortresses. | | | | of the most impressive armory collections anywhere, |
| Here are ten of the most famous German castles, the | | | | including one of the oldest cannons in Germany. For |
| must-sees, the "great castles" of Germany. | | | | 4.50 euros you can see it all on a guided tour. |
| 1. Schloss Neuschwanstein | | | | 6. Schloss Sanssouci |
| Schloss Neuschwanstein is perhaps the most | | | | Schloss Sanssouci: Now there's one you can't miss. |
| picturesque, the most recognizable of Germany's great | | | | Located in Potsdam in the Brandenberg region, not far |
| castles. This is the one that inspired the magical castle | | | | from Berlin, this is a veritable masterpiece from the |
| at Disneyland, the one with interiors that resemble | | | | Baroque period. What's more, it has its associations |
| scenes from Wagnerian operas. Perched high on a hill | | | | with Frederick the Great. In this small but lively summer |
| in an alpine setting in Schwangau, along Northern | | | | palace Frederick the Great entertained the thinkers |
| Bavaria's Romantic Road, the castle follows a distinctly | | | | and musicians of his time, including Voltaire. The |
| Romanesque style. It was originally built between 1869 | | | | Rococco residence can be toured for 8 euros, albeit |
| and 1886 and was the ultimate fantasy of the Mad | | | | with commentary in German. |
| King Ludwig. Public tours of it are 9 euros each, not | | | | 7. Schloss Braunfels |
| cheap, but worth it. | | | | Schloss Braunfels, an 800-year-old palace located in |
| 2. Burg Eltz | | | | the Hesse region's Lahn Valley. While well worth |
| Burg Eltz, located in the lower Mosel Valley, high above | | | | touring, the unfortunate thing about this one is that it |
| the Rhine, is one of Germany's most beautiful medieval | | | | was rebuilt in the 19th century in the Neo-Gothic style. |
| castles, 850 years old, and unscathed! It is still family | | | | But don't let that deter you. A guided tour of the castle |
| owned and occupied, but can be seen on guided tours | | | | includes the interior, with rooms displaying medieval |
| for 6 euros a pop. And it's worth it, offering the visitor | | | | weaponry, porcelain, and paintings. And it's 4 euros for |
| a peek at not only the original period furniture and | | | | the tour. |
| decor, but 20 flushable toilets that supposedly date | | | | 8. Festung Königstein |
| back to the 15th century. | | | | Festung Königstein, located near Dresden in the |
| 3. Meersburg Alte Burg | | | | Saxony region, is easily the largest fortress in |
| Meersburg Alte Burg, located in the Black Forest area | | | | Germany, and a triumph, if ever there was one, of |
| in Baden-Württemberg, is another of the famous | | | | fortress construction in Europe. Now more than 750 |
| 'burgs'. It dates from the seventh century and offers | | | | years old, it represents a confluence of Gothic, |
| superb views out to the Bodensee. This is also the | | | | Renaissance, Baroque and 19th century architecture. |
| oldest of Germany's castles that is inhabitable. A | | | | During world War II, it housed senior French prisoners |
| Merovingian king, Dagoberth, originally started it, and it | | | | of war as well as Dresden's best artworks. Guided |
| served as the residence of the bishop of Konstanz for | | | | tours of fortress and its grounds are available |
| decades. For 8.00 euros you can take a self-guided | | | | year-round for 6 euros. |
| tour of the castle that leads through 30 rooms that | | | | 9. The Residenz |
| include the chambers used by famous German poet | | | | The Residenz, the principle address of the ruling |
| Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, who frequently | | | | Wittelsbach family for over 500 years, is located in |
| sojourned here in the mid-19th century. | | | | Munich, Bavaria. It is a massive complex, lavishly |
| 4. The Wartburg | | | | decorated, constructed between 1720 and 1744 by |
| The Wartburg, situated just outside Eisenach in the | | | | Balthasar Neumann for the bishops of Würzburg. |
| Thuringia region, has been described as the most | | | | It is also one of the finest Baroque palaces in Europe |
| German of the German castles. It was here that | | | | and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. And it's 4 |
| Martin Luther translated the New Testament from | | | | euros for a guided tour. |
| Greek into German while in hiding. This one is open to | | | | 10. |