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Oldest Castle in Germany Meersburg Castle on Lake Constance

When we visited Meersburg on Lake Constance the one thing that the boys wanted to do was to visit Meersburg Castle. The Medieval Castle also known as Burg Meersburg stands proudly looking out over the town and the water. It is impossible to miss. Having not looked around a German castle before I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. Especially as it is the oldest castle in Germany. Therefore it has to be on our list.

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The Oldest Castle In Germany

Now I am not entirely sure if this is the oldest castle in Germany. However, it is often referred to as the oldest inhabited castle in Germany. The castle itself is like a museum set up to provide insights into the people that used to reside within its walls. Making Alte Burg (as it is also known) a little creepy in places. Not that it particularly bothered the boys who we happy to wander around.

The original structure of Burg Meersburg dates back to the 7th century. It is thought that the first is that the Merovingian King Dagobert I built the central keep of Meersburg Castle in 630. This is now referred to as Dagobert’s Tower this central tower is what you can see from the lake. Although it was during the early 12th century that it underwent significant transformation. During the Middle Ages, it became a pivotal fortress in the region. During the reign of Frederick Barbarossa, who was Holy Roman Emperor the castle’s fortifications were reinforced. It then changed hands again and since the early 13th century, Burg Meersburg has been part of the estate belonging to the Prince Bishops of Constance.

However, in the 18th century, the bishops built the New Castle or New Palace as a residence and so Old Meersburg Castle became purely an administration building. In more recent history it has become a tourist attraction. Meersburg Castle has been preserved and restored, allowing visitors to glimpse life from centuries past. Offering both self-guided and organised tours.

Arriving at the Castle and Meersburg Castle Tickets

We had not planned on visiting Meersburg on our 7-day holiday in the Bodensee. So we had not booked tickets in advance and ended up visiting towards the end of the day. However, this was not a problem. Just up from the entrance to the castle in the old town is the visitor’s centre where you can purchase tickets. It did mean that we did not have a guided tour, but since most of these seemed to be in German that didn’t bother us too much. As it meant we were free to explore at our own pace. When we entered the castle wall there was a rather creepy guy dressed as in Medieval times handing out self-guided tour booklets.

Despite being later in the day it was still quite busy when we visited. We got a family ticket discount which meant that it cost €31.20 for the four of us. Entrance is included in the Bodensee Card which covers the Lake Constance region and you may also get a small discount with the tourist card.

Meersburg Castle Self-Guided Tour

You enter through the main gate into the oldest part of the castle through the tunnel entrance. From here it is really easy to follow the self-guided tour around all the different areas of Burg Meersburg.

Old Castle Features

Meersburg Castle is mainly divided up into two different areas. It almost feels like two castles in one. The bottom part at the base of the dagobertturm and the tower itself is the medieval part. You really feel like you are walking into history. It even smells old like it has been shut away for a long time. I was surprised by the thick walls were. Many of the rooms had paintings on the walls and low ceilings. Points of interest were explained in the self-guided tour. There are only a few rooms on this floor before you move into the newer areas of the castle.

The other part of the old castle you will see on the way out. This is the torture chamber which is in the castle dungeon. Although it is not too bad I would not recommend it for young kids since it opens up a whole host of questions. Not at least about the hole of fear. There were also some interesting sound effects!

Neues Schloss

The New Castle, or Neues Schloss, was added during the Renaissance and Baroque periods. This part includes stately living quarters and administrative rooms. which exhibits a stark contrast to the austerity of the Old Castle. The rooms are still furnished as they would have been in those times. Some of the highlights for us were the:

Baroque Hall, this great hall is where there is an extensive collection of weapons that hang on the walls
Knights’ Hall, a long stone room with long tables and ironwork. You could easily imagine hoards of knights sitting at the tables, the noise the hustle and bustle and the general comdary.
Castle Kitchen and Castle Bakery
The rooms of famous German poetess Annette Von Droste-Hulshoff. I think I found these rooms the creepiest as they are exactly as she left them when she died. The pastel wallpaper is now peeling and stained in places from age. (She died in 1848). There were also dried flowers in several different places almost as shine to poet Annette Von Droste-Hulshoff.
Views across Lake Bodensee and the vineyards below from the castle garden are a highlight. Although it was overcast when we visited the views were still very special.

Tips For A Visit To Meersburg Castle

Visit early or late to avoid the crowds. Even in Winter, the castle is open until 6 pm. In the Spring and Autumn, it will be quieter.
It is not possible to book entrance tickets online in advance.
Check the website for special events such as the castle by candlelight and falconry displays.
The self-guided tour we had was in English and we found that many of the information displays were also in English.
According to the website it is possible to have a tour in both English and German. But they do not run without prior arrangement and they cost extra. However, we found the self-guided tours perfectly adequate.
Allow an hour and a half to explore fully.
The gift shop is in the visitors centre. There are lots of things for kids including dress-up and wooden swords etc. Although we did not find them particularly well priced so you may want to try and avoid everyone going in.
There is now a cafe in the castle, it was shut when we visited. But you can purchase a mini ticket for €2 each which will allow you to enter the castle and go to the cafe only. It has a veranda where you can sit and enjoy views across the lake.

Have you visited the town of Meersburg? Or Burg Meersburg? I would love to hear what you thought about Germany’s oldest castle.