Once Upon a Time in Germany
by Rita Cook and A. Anthony Mastracchio
(April 2005)

Once upon a time in Germany the past was still alive, as evidenced by the seemingly unending number of castles, secluded palaces and magnificent royal residences, still standing and awaiting visitors. A variety of fairy tales, myths and legends are connected to each castle many of which are perched on mountainsides and hilltops. Others castles surround the low-lying plains, picturesquely reflected in the waters of lakes, rivers and moats. These ancient ruins hold a magical quality which affects all visitors by enveloping the beholder in an atmosphere of days long past.

A trip on the romantic castle road from Heidelberg, Germany to Prague in the Czech Republic is as romantic as the name implies complete with 70 unique castles and palaces along the way. You can be sure that somewhere amid a winding river, a medieval cloister or an old castle still ringing with ghosts from 900 years ago, the romance will take hold of you and you will be forced to do something out of the ordinary.  This is romance at its finest.

Originally, these castles were built as strongholds, with observation towers, parapet walks and battlements from which panoramic views of the countryside below could be seen. Close your eyes and imagine young princes, knights and damsels walking about these castles in a Brother’s Grimm fairy tale of sword and sorcery.

Sadly, as the Middle Ages drew to a close the era of the castle was coming to a close, too. It was now the 16^th century and the nobility had begun yearning for something more elegant.  Thus the castle gave way to royal palaces with luxuriously appointed rooms and extensive palace grounds. The high society of the day liked to stroll leisurely past the pavilions and small temples entering into little liaisons, dangerous or not. Today, the castles and royal palaces dating from the different periods in German history give the countryside its own unmistakable identity.

The Burgenstrasse is Germany’s Castle Route and runs almost 6,000 miles. Originally established in 1954, it now runs from Mannheim via Heidelberg, Heilbronn, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Nuremberg, Bayreuth and Karlovy Vary to the Czech Republic capital city of Prague.

Heidelberg

We started our castle road journey in Heidelberg a warm, welcoming city with an unparalleled history. Pure romanticism cries out in Heidelberg, an old university town surrounded by the narrow Neckar Valley. The Schloss Heidelberg above the city is a ruin that was probably occupied as early as the 11th century. Renaissance architecture lures the fanatic and pure idyllic fantasy creates a world for the romantic at heart.

From there it was on to the Schwetzingen Palace actually built as a water castle in 1743. The garden at this palace is based on the one at Versailles, and it is unrivaled anywhere else in Europe. Take the time to visit the entire garden complex.  You can spend an entire day just enjoying the atmosphere.

In Hirshhorn, we ran across one of those springtime Sunday morning markets along the village road. This is German living the same as it has been for hundreds of years. Finally, we twisted our way up the narrow road to Hirshhorn castle for lunch. But not before discovering that this castle had begun to be built as early as the 13th century, but was not finished until 1586. At the moment the castle is a hotel and restaurant, but the old world style stills remains leaving you to wonder what century you have entered.

Then there is the town of Bad Wimpflen with its half timbered buildings and medieval fortifications. The city has an ancient feel while the natural saline springs make the town a wellness center. The baroque Heinsheim castle was built in1730 and today is used for romantic weddings. Guttenberg Castle, which is one of the few castles that has remained, has been occupied and untouched since the middle Ages. For more than 550 years the Gemmingen family has been living and managing this castle. The current owner is Baron von Gemmingen. This one is a must see!

You will also pass through the town of Rothenburg, which is complete with ancient city wall and gates exactly as it was in the Middle Ages. The Colomberg Castle dates back almost 1,000 years. The town of Bayreuth is famous for its Richard Wagner festival. In Bayreuth there is also the well-known Hermitage with grottoes and water fountains--also offering one of the most outstanding landscape gardens from the 18th century.

The romantic castle road for the week will just wet your appetite. We found our trip just the tip of the iceberg. It was a wonderland that we knew we would be exploring again, but next time taking the time to stop and smell the roses growing among the thousand year old modern, but still ancient ruins.

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