Meersburg Castle (Lake Constance)

Castle Meersburg

12.80 EUR

Rating

4.0/5

Flyctory.com Pros

Lovely castle with amazing view
Death room of Annette von Droste-Hülshoff
Amazing cafe with sunny terrace

Flyctory.com Cons

Ridiculous parking situation in the city

The Burg Meersburg (Meersburg Castle) in the city of Meersburg is one of the iconic landmarks in the Lake Constance / Bodensee region. Apart from that, it is Germany’s oldest castle, which is still inhabited. King Dagobert I. from the Merovingians is thought to have founded this place in the 7th century. During my trip to the region in summer 2020, I just had to visit this place.

Meersburg Castle – Location & Admission

Meersburg is located on the Northern / German shore of Lake Constance. The castle is located very centrally in the upper part of the historic town (there is a lower part on sea level as well). Approaching the village by car is possible – in peak times (especially in summer, weekends etc.), you should be aware that the parking facilities are very limited (you could also say: ridiculously insufficient in volume). It took me some twenty minutes to find a parking lot in average visiting times – which has, on top of everything been limited to two hours.

Thus, I only show you the Meersburg and the Meersburg Zeppelin Museum on Flyctory.com – I had to skip some other interesting sites due to that limitation. In general I would recommend to take a ship to Meersburg, even if that implies walking up to the upper part of the picturesque historic village. In very peak days, you might even leave your car in Constance and take the ferry from there.

You do a self-guided visit through the castle. Tickets can be purchased at a store before the drawing bridge you take to enter the castle. Adult tickets are 12.80 EUR. The ordinary opening times are 9:00 to 18:30 hrs in summer and 10:00 to 18:00 in winter. You may enter up to half an hour before closing – I would at least go for 90 minutes. I really had a rush due to the parking situation.

Meersburg Castle – The Visit

The first part of your visit is about exploring the life on the Meersburg during the medieval and early modern period. The castle is well preserved and you see a lot of historic items and paintings. You also learn quite much about the life of the servants and services on the castle, e.g. the kitchen. Whenever there are windows facing South, you have a nice view of Lake Constance as well. I absolutely loved that they have a harp player on site as well – that lead to a very nice and authentic atmosphere.

You visit the last residence of Anette von Droste-Hülshoff (see below) during your visit. Thereafter, you also visit parts like the blacksmith, the weapon rooms, the torture chamber and the chapel.

Meersburg Castle – Annette von Droste-Hülshoff Quarters

Annette von Droste-Hülshoff was a famous German poet, who lived on the Meersburg from 1841 to 1848. She died there as well. Her sister was married with the lord of the castle, so that she could live there in an annex with a lovely view over the lake. The rooms give an authentic view of her living situation during her Meersburg time, including her death chamber (which you visit first on your round trip).

Meersburg Castle – Services & Cafe

The Burg-Cafe (Castle Cafe) is large and very popular, due to its beautiful terrace with Lake Constance view. Of course, your visit is not complete without visiting the souvenir store, which offers the typical touristic items.

Meersburg Castle – My View

I feel that (after you visited the Zeppelin Museum) Meersburg Castle is a must-see when you visit the village of Meersburg. The castle has a very authentic touch and is interesting to visit – finally, you can also just tour it to learn about Droste-Hülshoff or to simply enjoy the unique view of the village and the lake. I feel it is absolutely worth it – even though the pricing is maybe a bit above moderate.