The Castle Road (german: Burgenstraße) is a theme route in southern

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...

(in

Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total l ...

and

Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...

) and a small portion in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

, between

Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (german: Universitätsstadt Mannheim), is the second-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after the state capital of Stuttgart, and Germany's ...

and

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

. It was established in 1954. In 1994 it was possible to extend it to Prague. It leads through the Neckar valley, the Hohenlohe Plateau, the

Franconia Franconia (german: Franken, ; Franconian dialect: ''Franggn'' ; bar, Frankn) is a region of Germany, characterised by its culture and Franconian dialect (German: ''Fränkisch''). The three administrative regions of Lower, Middle and Upper ...

n Heights, Franconian Switzerland, the

Fichtelgebirge The Fichtel MountainsRandlesome, C. et al. (2011). ''Business Cultures in Europe'', 2nd ed., Routledge, Abingdon and New York, p. 52. . (german: Fichtelgebirge, cs, Smrčiny), form a small horseshoe-shaped mountain range in northeastern Bavaria ...

and the Kaiserwald (Slavkovský les). The Castle Road has a length of over .

List of Places

The Castle Road at the moment passes, from west to east, the following places and landmarks. * D-

–

Mannheim Palace Mannheim Palace (german: Mannheimer Schloss) is a large Baroque palace in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was originally the main residence of the Prince-electors of the Electorate of the Palatinate of the House of Wittelsbach u ...

* D-

Schwetzingen Schwetzingen (; pfl, Schwetzinge) is a German town in northwest Baden-Württemberg, around southwest of Heidelberg and southeast of Mannheim. Schwetzingen is one of the five biggest cities of the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis district and a medium-si ...

–

Schwetzingen Castle Schwetzingen Palace is a schloss in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Schwetzingen was the summer residence of the Electors Palatine Charles III Philip and Charles IV Theodore (of the House of Wittelsbach). It is situated in Schwetzingen, ...

* D-

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; Palatine German: ') is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914, of which roughly a quarter consisted of students ...

–

Heidelberg Castle Heidelberg Castle (german: Heidelberger Schloss) is a ruin in Germany and landmark of Heidelberg. The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps. The castle has only been partially rebuilt since its demoli ...

, Old Inner City * D- Neckargemünd –

Bergfeste Dilsberg Dilsberg Castle (german: Bergfeste Dilsberg) is a ruined castle located in Neckargemünd, Germany. It was built by the counts of Lauffen in the 12th century, but in the 14th century became part of the Electorate of the Palatinate. The castle beca ...

* D-

Neckarsteinach The four-castle town of Neckarsteinach lies on the Neckar in the Bergstraße district in the southernmost part of Hesse, Germany, 15 km east of Heidelberg. Geography Location Both by way of transport and culture, Neckarsteinach's locati ...

– Schadeck Castle, Hinterburg Castle, Mittelburg and Vorderburg * D- Hirschhorn (Neckar) – Hirschhorn Castle * D- Eberbach – Eberbach Castle * D- Zwingenberg - Zwingenburg * D- Neckargerach - Minneburg * D- Binau - Dauchstein Castle * D- Obrigheim – Neuburg Castle * D-

Mosbach Mosbach (; South Franconian: ''Mossbach'') is a town in the north of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is the seat of the Neckar-Odenwald district and has a population of approximately 25,000 distributed in six boroughs: Mosbach Town, Lohrbach, N ...

– historical town centre * D- Neckarzimmern – Hornberg Castle * D- Haßmersheim-Neckarmühlbach – Guttenberg Castle * D- Gundelsheim – Horneck Castle * D-

Bad Rappenau Bad Rappenau (; South Franconian: ''Rappene'') is a city municipality in the district of Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is situated about northwest of Heilbronn. Geography Bad Rappenau is situated in the northeastern ...

– Heinsheim Castle,

Ehrenberg Castle Ehrenberg Castle is a castle located in Reutte in Tyrol, Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation o ...

, Rappenau Water Castle * D-

Bad Wimpfen Bad Wimpfen () is a historic spa town in the district of Heilbronn in the Baden-Württemberg region of southern Germany. It lies north of the city of Heilbronn, on the river Neckar. Geography Bad Wimpfen is located on the west bank of the Rive ...

– Kaiserpfalz Wimpfen * D-

Heilbronn Heilbronn () is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, surrounded by Heilbronn District. With over 126,000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state. From the late Middle Ages, it developed into an important trading centre. A ...

– city itself * D- Weinsberg – Weibertreu ruins * D- Jagsthausen – Götzenburg (castle of Götz von Berlichingen) * D-

Öhringen Öhringen ( East Franconian: ''Ähringe'') is the largest town in Hohenlohe (district) in the state of Baden-Württemberg, in southwest Germany, near Heilbronn. Öhringen is on the railline to Schwäbisch Hall and Crailsheim. With a population o ...

– Öhringen Castle * D- Neuenstein – Neuenstein Castle * D- Waldenburg – Waldenburg Castle * D-

Schwäbisch Hall Schwäbisch Hall (; "Swabian Hall"; from 1802 until 1934 and colloquially: ''Hall'' ) is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg located in the valley of the Kocher river, the longest tributary (together with its headwater Lein) of the ...

– Comburg * D- Kirchberg an der Jagst – Kirchberg Castle * D-

Langenburg Langenburg () is a town in the district of Schwäbisch Hall, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on a hill above the river Jagst, 18 km northeast of Schwäbisch Hall. It is also the place where Wibele - small, sweet, biscuit-l ...

–

Langenburg Castle Langenburg () is a town in the district of Schwäbisch Hall, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on a hill above the river Jagst, 18 km northeast of Schwäbisch Hall. It is also the place where Wibele - small, sweet, biscuit-li ...

* D- Rothenburg ob der Tauber – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, medieval town * D-

Ansbach Ansbach (; ; East Franconian: ''Anschba'') is a city in the German state of Bavaria. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the river Fränkische Rezat, ...

– Margravial Residence,

Orangery An orangery or orangerie was a room or a dedicated building on the grounds of fashionable residences of Northern Europe from the 17th to the 19th centuries where orange and other fruit trees were protected during the winter, as a very lar ...

and Hofgarten * D-Romantic

– Colmberg Castle, Veste Lichtenau, castle of the

Teutonic Knights The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians o ...

, Wolframs-Eschenbach * D-

Abenberg Abenberg () is a town in the Middle Franconian district of Roth, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 9 km west of Roth bei Nürnberg and 25 km southwest of Nuremberg Nuremberg ( ; german: link=no, Nürnberg ; in the local East Fra ...

– Abenberg Castle * D-

Roth Roth may refer to: Places Germany * Roth (district), in Bavaria, Germany ** Roth, Bavaria, capital of that district ** Roth (electoral district), a federal electoral district * Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany: ** Roth an der Our, in the district ...

– Ratibor Castle * D-

Nürnberg Nuremberg ( ; german: link=no, Nürnberg ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the second-largest city of the German state of Bavaria after its capital Munich, and its 518,370 (2019) inhabitants make it the 14th-largest ...

–

Nuremberg Castle Nuremberg Castle (german: Nürnberger Burg) is a group of medieval fortified buildings on a sandstone ridge dominating the historical center of Nuremberg in Bavaria, Germany. The castle, together with the city walls, is considered to be one ...

* D- Franconian Switzerland – Kaiserpfalz Forchheim,

Ebermannstadt Ebermannstadt (; East Franconian: ''Ärmaschdood'') is a town in the district of Forchheim, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 10 km northeast of Forchheim and 25 km southeast of Bamberg. Districts *Breitenbach *Ebermannstadt *Gassel ...

, Mark Wiesenttal,

Egloffstein Castle Egloffstein Castle (german: Burg Egloffstein) is a former high mediaeval, aristocratic castle, that stands immediately west of the eponymous village of Egloffstein in the Upper Franconian county of Landkreis Forchheim, Forchheim in the German sta ...

, Gößweinstein Castle, Waischenfeld Castle, Aufsess Castle, Schloss Greifenstein * D-

Ahorntal Ahorntal is a municipality in the district of Bayreuth in the ''state (Bundesland)'' of Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area o ...

- Rabenstein Castle * D-

Bamberg Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby ' castl ...

– Altenburg Castle, Bamberg, New Residence * D- Rentweinsdorf - Schloss Rentweinsdorf * D-

Ebern Ebern () is a town in the Haßberge district of Bavaria, Germany. It is situated southwest of Coburg and northwest of Bamberg. Its population is about 8,000. Its mayor is Robert Herrmann. Ebern is about 1,000 years old and has an intact defen ...

- historic old town, Schloss Eyrichsdorf,

Rotenhan Castle Rotenhan Castle (german: Burg Rotenhan) is a castle ruin about two kilometres north of the village of Eyrichshof in Lower Franconia in the south German state of Bavaria. Eyrichshof lies within the borough of Ebern in the district of Haßberge ...

ruins * D- Pfarrweisach - Lichtenstein Castle * D-

Maroldsweisach Maroldsweisach is a municipality in the district of Haßberge in Bavaria in Germany. Culture and sights * Alte Burg (Altenstein), the "Old Castle" * Altenstein Castle * Ditterswind Palace * Hafenpreppach Palace * Maroldsweisach Palace * ...

- Altenstein Castle * D- Heldburg - Heldburg Fortress * D-

Coburg Coburg () is a town located on the Itz river in the Upper Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany. Long part of one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined Bavaria by popular vote only in 1920. Until the revolution of 1918, it ...

– Ehrenburg Palace, Veste Coburg,

Callenberg Castle Callenberg Castle (''Schloss Callenberg'') is a castle on a wooded hill in Beiersdorf, an ''Ortsteil'' of Coburg, from the town centre. It was a hunting lodge and summer residence and has long been the principal residence of the House of Saxe-Cob ...

* D- Lichtenfels – Lichtenfels Castle * D- Kronach – Rosenberg Fortress * D-

Kulmbach Kulmbach () is the capital of the district of Kulmbach in Bavaria in Germany. The town is famous for Plassenburg Castle, which houses the largest tin soldier museum in the world, and for its sausages, or '' Bratwürste''. Geography Location ...

– Plassenburg * D-

Bayreuth Bayreuth (, ; bar, Bareid) is a town in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Franconian Jura and the Fichtelgebirge Mountains. The town's roots date back to 1194. In the 21st century, it is the capital o ...

– New Palace Old Palace, Eremitage * CZ-

Cheb Cheb (; german: Eger) is a town in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 30,000 inhabitants. It lies on the river Ohře. Before the 1945 expulsion of the German-speaking population, the town was the centre of the German- ...

– Eger Castle * CZ- Lázně Kynžvart – Königswart Castle (''Lazne Kynzvart'') * CZ- Loket – Elbogen Castle (''Hrad Loket'') * CZ-

Bečov nad Teplou Bečov nad Teplou (german: Petschau) is a town in Karlovy Vary District in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 900 inhabitants. The town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as urban monument zone. Administra ...

– Petschau Castle (''Hrad a zámek Bečov'') * CZ-

Teplá Teplá (german: Tepl) is a town in Cheb District in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,900 inhabitants. The town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as urban monument zone. Administrative parts Villages of ...

–

Teplá Abbey Teplá Abbey ( cs, Klášter Teplá; german: Stift Tepl) is a Premonstratensian abbey in Teplá in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It is included in the Archdiocese of Prague. History Teplá Abbey was founded in 1193 by the ble ...

* CZ- Švihov – Svihov Castle (''Vodní hrad Švihov'') * CZ-

Nezvěstice Nezvěstice is a municipality and village in Plzeň-City District in the Plzeň Region Plzeň Region ( cs, Plzeňský kraj; german: Pilsner Region) is an administrative unit (''kraj'') in the western part of Bohemia in the Czech Republic. It ...

– Nebilovy Castle (''Zámek'' Nebílovy) * CZ- Šťáhlavy – Kozel Castle (''Zámek Kozel'') * CZ-

Hořovice Hořovice (; german: Horschowitz, Horvitz, Horowitz) is a town in Beroun District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 6,900 inhabitants. Administrative parts Hořovice is made up of only one administrative part. Hi ...

– Hořovice Castle * CZ- Zdice – Žebrák Castle (''Hrad Žebrák''), Točník Castle (''Hrad Točník'') * CZ- Křivoklát – Křivoklát Castle (''Hrad Křivoklát'') * CZ- Karlštejn – Karlštejn Castle * CZ-

–

Prague Castle Prague Castle ( cs, Pražský hrad; ) is a castle complex in Prague 1 Municipality within Prague, Czech Republic, built in the 9th century. It is the official office of the President of the Czech Republic. The castle was a seat of power for king ...

Cycleway

There also exits a Cycleway "Burgenstraßen-Radweg".

Gallery

Image:SchlossEhrenhof 2017.jpg, Mannheim Palace Image:Schwetzingen Zirkelbau Festspiele 2002.jpg, Schwetzingen Image:SchlossHeidelberg2.jpg, Heidelberg Castle Image:Hirschhorn.jpg, Hirschhorn Image:Burg-Eberbach02.jpg, Eberbach Castle Image:Zwingenburg.jpg, Zwingenburg Image:Bad Wimpfen 2000 Blauer Turm by-RaBoe 02.jpg, Bad Wimpfen Image:Weinsberg.jpg, Weinsberg Castle Image:Neuensteinschloss.jpg, Neuenstein Castle Image:Schwaebisch Hall St Michael.jpg, Schwäbisch Hall Image:Schloss Langenburg 260604.jpg, Langenburg Castle Image:Rothenburg BW 25.JPG, Rothenburg town hall Image:Nuernberg Burg Panorama.jpg, Nuremberg Castle Image:GreifensteinSchloss.JPG, Greifenstein Castle Image:Bamberg Neue Residenz.jpg, New Residence in Bamberg Image:Coburg-Veste1.jpg, Veste Coburg Image:Plassenburg oben.jpg, Plassenburg Castle Image:Festspielhaus.jpg, Festival Theater in Bayreuth Image:071107-Loket-Castle-Hrad.jpg, Loket Image:Burgkarlstein02.jpg, Karlštejn Castle Image:Hradschin Prag.jpg, Prague

Literature

* Arbeitsgemeinschaft "Die Burgenstraße": ''Burgenstraßen-Radwanderführer''. Hrsg. Arbeitsgemeinschaft "Die Burgenstraße", Heilbronn. J. Fink-Kümmerly + Frey Verlag GmbH, Ostfildern * Hans Konrad Schenk: ''Hohenlohe vom Reichsfürstentum zur Standesherrschaft''. Swiridoff-Verlag Künzelsau, 2006.

External links

Official site in English
* http://www.burgen.strasse-online.de {{Authority control Tourist attractions in Bavaria German tourist routes Tourist attractions in Baden-Württemberg Tourist attractions in the Czech Republic