Cadolzburg · DE

Cadolzburg Castle

Cadolzburg Castle is one of Bavaria's mightiest medieval fortresses, perched on a rocky spur near Fürth in Franconia. First documented in 1157 and transformed into a seat of Hohenzollern power in the 14th and 15th centuries, it today houses one of Germany's most immersive castle museums — a 1,500-square-meter interactive exhibition that brings late medieval court life vividly to life across four floors of the restored Old Palace. What makes Cadolzburg exceptional is its refusal to treat the Middle Ages as a dusty abstraction. Visitors try on medieval armor, step into a tournament with VR glasses, learn period dance steps in the Oak Pillar Hall, and even lie down on a replica princely bed in the half-timbered upper floors. The castle's free walled garden, planted with historical grain varieties, extends the story outdoors.