The Eltz Castle is a medieval fairy-tale castle located in Wierschem, Germany, between Koblenz and Trier. The Eltz Castle stands in the middle of the Eltz forest.
The castle is owned by the same family who built it, and it was a living Castle for the Eltz Family until today. It was one of the few castles that had never faced any conflicts or been destroyed during the war since it was built.
The Eltz Castle has a unique architecture with its eight towers from the roof and timber frame structure. The castle is surrounded by the forest, and it takes back its visitors to a medieval fairy tale.
How to reach Eltz Castle by public transport:
You can take the train to the station called ‘’ Hatzenport’’, and there’s a direct bus no. 365, which takes to the Burg Etlz. It’s a journey of around 25 minutes which takes you from the different valleys and drops off at Burg Eltz. There’s a shuttle van that takes you to the Castle, or you can also walk on the track, which is around 10-15 minutes.
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Where to stay near Eltz Castle:
There are many small towns along the Mosel River where you can stay during your visit to Eltz castle. We stayed in a hotel in Klotten, which is around 30 minutes away from Eltz Castle. You can also stay at Cochem, or if you want to stay nearby, you can stay at ‘Hatzenport’ or ‘Moselkern’.
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Our Experience at Eltz Castle:
We reached the Eltz Burg and took a short walk to the Castle. We reached there early in the morning, around 9:30 AM. The Castle wasn’t crowded at that time. I must say, it is the perfect time to take pictures without any crowd. At this time, we don’t have any queues at the ticket office. The entry ticket to the Castle and the guided tour is Euro 12 per person but it might be increased now.
There are many guided tours in different languages. We took the guided tour in English. After buying the entry ticket, we headed towards the castle courtyard to join our guide for the Castle tour.
Castle Tour:
Each tour consists of a group of 30-40 people. The castle is divided into three parts belonging to the three different branches of the Eltz family.
Armour Room:
We started our tour from the armory room, which has many different types of armor, including spears, swords, helmets, and shields from medieval times, which have been used to protect the Castle. The room also has the oldest surviving canon bolts in the world. Our guide was the explanation of the history of weapons and armor.
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Rübenach Hall:
We moved towards the next room, which was a huge hall room. The main masterpiece of the hall is the painting of ‘Madonna with a child and grape’ by ‘Lucas Cranach the Elder’’.
The hall was decorated with elegant furniture, and the walls had beautiful paintings that described the creative imagination of the artists about the fantasies of the forest Eltz. The painting wasn’t the original one, but it was a replica of the original painting.
The Prince Elector’s room:
Afterwards, we took the narrow staircase and visited the Prince Elector of the Castle. The room also had elegant furniture, and a glass cupboard displayed a costly China tea set that was only used for special visitors.
The Knight’s Hall:
We also visited the huge knight hall, which looks like a conference hall for the meeting and festivity for the members of three different branches of the Eltz family. The hall's ceiling is made of oak wood and has different symbolic signs that present peace and harmony and different family branches.
The Hall also displays small canons. According to historians, these were the prototypes that used to be presented by the gunsmiths as a model of the original cannons. In the castles, there are many places where you can find these small cannons.
The Nursery room:
There was also a small kids' room in the castle with a small wooden painted bed, considered the only surviving Renaissance-painted bed.
Hunting Room:
The castle also has a hunting room with many hunted animals like bears and deer. There are also many spots in the castle where you find animal skin carpets or rugs along with the animal head.
Bed Chamber:
We also got the chance to check out the main bedroom. The bed is a bit different from what we have now. The bed is on high, and there are few steps to reach the wooden carved bed.
There were also two small rooms attached to the main bedroom, one was a dressing room, and the other was a study room. There was also a very small attached bathroom in the room.
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The Banner Hall:
We also visited a banner hall inside the castle. It used to be a chapel but later served as a dining and living room. All the rooms in the castle have a space for a fire to keep rooms warm during winter. But the chapel has a very unique system for heating. It has a huge compartment that used to fill with wood and fire, and it has an exhaust system that dumps the smoke into the kitchen.
Kitchen:
Visiting the castle's kitchen was also a unique experience for us. It helped us understand the Etlz family's lifestyle. There was a pantry on one side with the cooking utensils and a big fire system with a hanging pot. Some hanging baskets were also attached to the kitchen's roof, which helped keep the food safe from mice and rats.
The tour was very interactive, and we got information about the Eltz family and their lifestyle from our tour guide. It was strictly prohibited to take pictures inside the castle, so, unfortunately, we won’t be able to show you how the castle looks from the inside.
Treasury of the Eltz Castle:
The ticket to the treasury is included in the main ticket to the castle, but it’s not a guided tour. The treasury comprises 4 different levels, and you can find more than 500 exhibits from the nine centuries.
Luckily, it was allowed to take pictures in the treasury. Many gold and silver ornaments, swords, jewelry, and pots are displayed.
Cafe in Eltz Castle:
There’s also a small cafe and restaurant in the castle where you can enjoy your lunch with a view of the castle and forest. You can also take a hike down into the forest from the castle and enjoy some beautiful views of the castle.
Ending Note:
It took us around 2-3 hours to visit the castle inside, spend some time in the courtyard, and enjoy lunch, but you can also spend the entire day in the forest. When we were returning from the castle, it was around 13:00, and the castle was full of people. There was a big waiting queue for the tickets. We highly recommend visiting the castle early in the morning to avoid crowds.