Location: Honau, Swabian Alps Map
Constructed: 1840- 42
Open: 9am- 5:30 pm Apr- Oct
10am- 4pm Sat- Sun, public holidays Nov, Feb, March
Closed: December, January
Tel. +49 (0) 71 29 41 02
Price: 5 Euro
Official site
Lichtenstein Castle is perched on a cliff overlooking town of Honau in the Swabian Alps region of Germany, near Stuttgart. Although the first military fortifications of Lichtenstein Castle were constructed here in the 13th century the current structure was constructed in 1840- 42 under supervision of architect Carl Alexander Heideloff. Romanticism of the 19th century inspired the construction of this pseudo- medieval citadel. In fact locally it is known as a "Neuschwanstein’s Little Brother" after famous Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria.
The first Lichtenstein Castle was destroyed during Reichskriegs War of 1311 and second Burg Lichtenstein was razed by the city state of Reutlingen in 1381. Last duke of the Lichtstein family fell in a battle against the Turkish armies in 1687. Eventually Lichtenstein Castle was abandoned and left in ruins. Overtime only few remains reminded of its previous glory. In 1802 a hunting lodge was erected by King Frederick I of Württemberg. In 1840- 42 his nephew Duke Wilhelm of Urach, Count of Württemberg, constructed Schloss Lichtenstein that became known locally as "Württemberg´s fairytale castle". Presumably the name and the idea for creation of this neo- Gothic structure was inspired by novel "Lichtenstein" by Wilhelm Hauff who wrote it in 1826. Today Lichtenstein Castle is still in the possession of the Dukes of Urach, but it is open to the public. The citadel houses a museum with a large collection of medieval weapons, knights' armor and firearms from different periods.
Opening Hours (2026)
March, November & December:
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
April – October: 9:00 AM – 5:30/6:00 PM
Closed:
January and February, plus December 24–26
Guided tours of the
interior depart roughly every 20 minutes.
Ticket Prices
Courtyard & Grounds only:
Adults: €6
Reduced*: €5
Children
(6–16): €4
Full Guided Interior Tour (includes courtyard, ~30
minutes):
Adults: €16
Reduced*: €14
Children (6–16): €10
*Reduced tickets apply to pensioners, students, trainees, people with
disabilities, and soldiers (ID required).
Ticket tips:
Many
visitors find the courtyard ticket sufficient, as the exterior and views
are the main highlight. Tickets are sold on-site only — no online
advance purchase for individuals. Bring cash, as card payment may not
always be accepted.
How to Get There
By car (recommended):
About 40–50 minutes south of Stuttgart. The drive through the Swabian
Alps is scenic. There is a paid parking lot (€2 all day) right below the
castle.
By public transport: Train to Reutlingen or Bad Urach, then
bus to Honau/Unterhausen. Total travel time from Stuttgart is around 1
hour 20 minutes, but buses run infrequently.
Best Time to Visit
Ideal periods: April–May or September–October (milder crowds, beautiful
spring or autumn scenery).
Summer (June–August) is busier, especially
on weekends.
Arrive shortly after opening to avoid waiting for tours.
Weekends and German public holidays tend to be more crowded.
Visiting Tips
Plan for 1.5 to 3 hours on site (longer if you want to
hike the surrounding trails).
The castle is located on a cliff with
stairs and uneven paths — not ideal for those with significant mobility
issues.
Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring weather-appropriate
clothing (it can be windy).
Bring cash, water, and snacks. A small
café is available on site.
Photography is not allowed inside the
castle.
Most tours are in German. English-speaking visitors receive a
printed handout. Group English tours are available by advance request.
What to Expect
The biggest attraction is the castle’s stunning
clifftop location and romantic architecture. The exterior and panoramic
viewpoints are often considered more impressive than the interior.
Inside, you’ll see ornate 19th-century furnishings, murals, armor, and
family history during a relatively short guided tour.
Pro Tips
Explore the full grounds and find the best viewpoints behind the castle.
Combine your visit with hiking in the Swabian Alps or a trip to nearby
Hohenzollern Castle.
The castle feels personal and peaceful compared
to larger tourist sites.
Medieval Origins (12th–16th Centuries)
The site's
history dates back to around 1100, when a castle belonging to a family
of ministerials (unfree knights serving higher lords) under the Counts
of Achalm (and later the Counts/Dukes of Württemberg) was built on the
escarpment above the source of the Echaz River. This original structure,
known as Burg Alt-Lichtenstein ("Old Lichtenstein"), was located about
500 meters (1,600 ft) from the current castle.
The Lords of
Lichtenstein were a noble family who held significant lands in the area,
including Honau, Ober- and Unterhausen, Holzelfingen, and
Kleinengstingen. They frequently clashed with the nearby Free Imperial
City of Reutlingen, leading to repeated attacks.
The old castle
was destroyed in 1311 during the imperial civil war.
It was rebuilt
but destroyed again between 1377 and 1381 by citizens of Reutlingen
during the "Wars of the Cities."
In 1390, a new, more formidable
castle was constructed on the site of today's Lichtenstein Castle. This
Late Medieval fortress was considered one of the most impressive and
best-fortified of its era in the region. It featured advanced defenses,
including early casemates (protected artillery positions), making it
nearly unassailable. It withstood all attacks.
The castle served as a
ducal seat for the Württemberg family until 1567, after which it
gradually lost military and administrative importance. It fell into
disrepair over the following centuries. By the 17th century, the
original Lichtenstein family line had died out (the last member perished
in the Great Turkish War in 1687), and the property passed through
various hands, including briefly to the Tyrolean Habsburgs during the
Thirty Years' War. The family's coat of arms (golden angel wings on a
blue background) remains displayed in the castle's great hall.
Decline and 19th-Century Hunting Lodge (17th–Early 19th Century)
The
medieval castle deteriorated significantly. In 1802, King Frederick I of
Württemberg acquired the property, dismantled the remaining structure
down to its foundations, and built a modest hunting lodge in its place.
This unpretentious building served the royal family's recreational
needs.
Romantic Revival and Construction of the Modern Castle
(1837–1842)
The current castle emerged from the 19th-century Romantic
movement, which idealized medieval chivalry, Gothic architecture, and
folklore. This era saw renewed interest in Gothic styles, exemplified by
projects like the completion of Cologne Cathedral and later
Neuschwanstein Castle.
Key catalyst: In 1826, German author Wilhelm
Hauff published the romantic novel Lichtenstein, a historical tale
inspired by Walter Scott's works. It prominently featured the castle and
sparked public fascination with the site.
In 1837, Count Wilhelm of
Württemberg (later Duke Wilhelm of Urach, 1810–1869), a cousin of the
king and a passionate German patriot with a deep interest in medieval
history, art, and architecture, purchased the estate (including the
hunting lodge) from King Wilhelm I of Württemberg. He envisioned
building a faithful emulation of a medieval knight's castle to house his
extensive collection of medieval arms, armor, and artworks.
Architect Carl Alexander Heideloff, a specialist in Gothic restoration,
was commissioned after other designs were rejected.
Construction
began in 1840 under builder Johann Georg Rupp and was largely completed
by 1842.
The design heavily incorporated the ancient 1390 foundations
(up to the third floor in places) and drew from medieval models.
Features included a main building (up to three stories), curtain wall,
courtyard, and later additions like a barbican and outer bailey with
bastions and turrets in 1857.
The castle was inaugurated in 1842
with the king in attendance. Interior and exterior decoration was
handled by Nuremberg artist Georg Eberlein. Notable artworks inside
include pieces by Michael Wolgemut and the "Master of Lichtenstein."
Count Wilhelm (who became the first Duke of Urach after the 1848
revolutions) personally influenced the design and furnished the
interiors. He later added defensive elements like caponiers and cannons,
reflecting his interest in artillery.
In 1869, it became the official
residence of the Dukes of Urach. Additional buildings (Ducal Palace and
groundskeeper's house) were constructed or expanded between 1898 and
1901.
20th Century to Present: Ownership, Damage, and Restoration
The castle has remained in the ownership of the Ducal House of Urach (a
branch of the Württemberg family). For legal and technical reasons, it
is managed through a family company established in 1929.
It suffered
damage during World War II but survived. Post-war restorations were
supported by local non-profits, including the Wüstenrot Foundation and
the Community Fund for the Preservation of Lichtenstein Castle:
Outer
walls, tower, and roof: restored starting in 1980.
Second floor and
art objects: 1998.
Upper floors and further work: 2002.
Today,
the castle is privately owned but open to the public as a museum and
tourist attraction, with guided tours showcasing its armory, chapel,
living quarters, and panoramic views. It continues to be maintained by
the family and supporters.
Historical Context and Construction
The current
castle is a 19th-century Romantic Revival structure, built 1840–1842 on
the foundations of a medieval castle (from 1390) that had been
demolished earlier. It was commissioned by Count Wilhelm von Urach
(later Duke of Urach), a passionate enthusiast of medieval history, art,
arms, and armor. He was deeply inspired by Wilhelm Hauff’s 1826 romantic
novel Lichtenstein, which romanticized the region’s medieval past.
Architect Carl Alexander Heideloff (a specialist in Gothic restoration)
designed it as a faithful homage to medieval knightly architecture, with
input from the client. Construction was managed by Johann Georg Rupp.
Later additions included a barbican and outer bailey with bastions and
turrets in 1857, and further buildings (Ducal Palace and groundskeeper’s
house) between 1898–1901.
Unlike true medieval defensive castles, it
was built primarily as a romantic residence and museum for the duke’s
collections during the height of 19th-century Gothic Revival (similar in
spirit to Neuschwanstein, though smaller and earlier).
Exterior
Architecture
The castle exemplifies Gothic Revival with strong
romanticized medieval elements:
Dramatic clifftop setting: It appears
to grow organically from the sheer rock face, creating a fairy-tale
silhouette. A narrow causeway/bridge (often with a wooden section)
connects sections and offers iconic views.
Key features:
Crenellated (battlemented) walls and defensive-looking elements (though
largely decorative).
Pointed arches, ornate stonework, and decorative
battlements.
Turrets, pinnacles, and towers.
Prominent White Tower
(the most striking feature): A tall, cylindrical, light-colored tower
(six stories) that contrasts with darker stone elements. It includes a
distinctive horse-head-shaped chimney and internal fireplaces.
Portcullis at the main entrance.
Outer bailey with corner bastions
and turrets (added 1857).
Curtain walls and courtyard following the
cliff’s contours.
The overall complex includes four
interconnected buildings linked by walls. Materials blend local stone
with precise, high-quality 19th-century craftsmanship to evoke Late
Medieval fortifications.
Interior Architecture and Decoration
The interiors continue the neo-Gothic theme with rich, romanticized
medieval detailing. No interior photography is generally allowed (to
protect the original wall paintings and frescoes).
Ornate rooms
feature:
Elaborate wall and ceiling paintings (frescoes) with
heraldic motifs, historical scenes, coats of arms, and figures.
Gilded elements, carved woodwork, and Gothic tracery.
Stained-glass
windows.
Period furniture, including intricate chairs, tables (e.g.,
a highly polished marble table), and antiques.
Notable spaces
(from guided tours):
Knights’ Room (former dining room): Portraits,
ornate woodwork.
Heraldic Room: Painted shields, malachite gifts.
Royal Chamber: Historical portraits; shows WWII damage (bullet hole in a
mirror).
Chapel: One of the highlights — 14th-century stained-glass
windows, paintings by Michael Wolgemut (Albrecht Dürer’s teacher),
including Death of the Virgin Mary, a Pietà, gilded medallions, and
vaulting.
Armoury: Extensive collection of medieval weapons, armor,
firearms; includes a piece of the original rock.
Other rooms like the
Taproom (with hunting scenes and secret passage to dungeons) and Corner
Room (mortuary masks).
The decoration integrates original
medieval art pieces (e.g., altar wings by the Master of Lichtenstein)
with 19th-century romantic additions by painter/architect Georg
Eberlein.
Architectural Significance
Lichtenstein Castle is a
prime example of 19th-century Romanticism in architecture — prioritizing
emotion, nostalgia for the Middle Ages, and picturesque settings over
strict historical accuracy or military function. It blends:
Gothic
forms (pointed arches, battlements, vertical emphasis).
Romantic
ideals (chivalry, dramatic landscape integration).
19th-century
engineering and comfort.
It is smaller and more intimate than
contemporaries like Hohenzollern Castle or Neuschwanstein but is prized
for its authenticity to the novel’s vision and its spectacular,
gravity-defying location. It remains in the Urach family and serves as
both residence and museum.