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Schloss Mespelbrunn: A Fairytale Forest Castle

  • In fairytales, deep woods are often home to magical castles and in Germany's dense Spessart forest, it's actually true. Normally they have the castles in very open places. But here it's very hidden and closed. You will not find it if you don't know there is a castle and all the wars even in the the Thirty Years War they never found it, never. Schloss Mespelbrunn was born not from the daydream of a wealthy aristocrat, but rather from an act of selfless heroism. There was one of the member family, Echter, who helped the Duke Archbishop in a very dangerous situation and he helped him to stay alive. He carried him on his shoulders as long as he had to. He. never stopped, and then the Duke Archbishop woke up and was happy to be alive and said, you saved my life. I will give you this place as a present for your family. Carved from nature in 1412, Mespelbrunn was at first, a hunting lodge, a place of bountiful feasts and tall tales of jolly klansmen, and proper nobles, of brave knights matching wits with elusive deer wild boar, and on occasion unruly bandits and even radical Hussites as the Echter family sought to tame this wild land. In the 16th century, a new generation reshaped, the castle into the more pleasing form we see today. 200 years ago, this was completely closed or you couldn't look through the arch pose, while one day they decided to take these parts out and put a romantic arch in and that was the best that happened to the house. Schloss Mespelbrunn overflows with distinctive details, all of which have somehow survived the continuing threat of war and weather, except for one inadvertent casualty that came in World War II. They're covered this in wood to keep it safe, but they didn't know they would have the most hard winters in their life. Those winters in the Second World War were extremely cold. After the war, when they took the cover off, the pieces came off because the water dripped between and froze, so no weapons, but the frost destroyed it a little bit. One key symbol, that is transcended the centuries along with the story behind it is the Echter family crest. The three rings are from the family Echter. And the family Echter had those crests for many, many many centuries. There was a very strange and wonderful story from this family. There were three very strong boys, and they had always trouble with other strong knights and once, they had a fight and one of the other knights was killed. They were taken to court and there were banished to live in the woods and they became fair game for hunters and everybody who came upon them. During these years in the woods, the three boys - they said once in a month, we should meet. And so, when they had their meeting point there had to put the horses together. And after they came free, they took the three rings in memory of those years when they had to put their horses to fix their horses and in, on that meeting point. And so the spirit of the three brothers lives on. Mythical Mespelbrunn is a rare gem bathed in beauty. A Renaissance-style Masterpiece that captures the essence of life in the 16th century. I hope you two will do what I did and explore Schloss Mespelbrunn for yourself and perhaps even encounter its signature moat trout. In this splendidly serene setting, you almost forget, there's an outside world and you'll find yourself in absolutely no hurry to leave.

Tucked away in the midst of a verdant forest is the exquisite Schloss Mespelbrunn. Take a peek inside as Gräfin (Countess) Hedwig Margarete shares her home, and learn more about the castle’s legendary past.

Why Mespelbrunn Castle should be your next cruise adventure

Deep within Germany’s secluded Spessart forest, tucked away in a remote valley, a true hidden treasure awaits your discovery. This is Schloss Mespelbrunn, also known as Mespelbrunn Castle, a place so secluded that for centuries it was never found, surviving even the tumult of the Thirty Years War. Mespelbrunn Castle emerges from the trees like a vision from a storybook. With its soaring towers, warm red sandstone and tranquil moat, it is a place where you almost expect Rapunzel to let her hair down from a window. This is one of Germany's most beautiful moated castles, a destination that captures the very essence of a fairy tale.

For centuries, castles like this have dotted the German landscape, but few offer such an authentic glimpse into the past. What makes Mespelbrunn so special is that it is someone’s residence today.

Historic castle by serene lake view

A castle born from heroism

A journey with Viking is an enriching way to discover the history behind Europe’s most fascinating landmarks and Mespelbrunn is no exception. This castle was born not from an aristocrat’s daydream, but from an act of selfless heroism. As legend has it, in the late Middle Ages a member of the Echter family saved the Duke-Archbishop in a dangerous situation, carrying him on his shoulders to safety. In gratitude, the Duke-Archbishop declared, “You saved my life. I will give you this place as a present for your family.”

Mespelbrunn began as a hunting lodge, a place of bountiful feasts, tall tales and brave knights. As the Echter family sought to tame the wild land, a 16th-century generation reshaped the castle into the more pleasing, Renaissance-style masterpiece we see today.

A legacy forged in the forest

This castle’s distinctive details have survived man-made and natural threats from wars and weather. One key symbol that has transcended the centuries is the Echter family crest, which consists of three rings. The crest holds a strange and wonderful story of three strong brothers who, after a fight, were banished to live in the woods. They agreed to meet once a month at a specific point, where they had to tie their horses together. After they were freed, they adopted the three rings in memory of those years, and the spirit of the three brothers lives on.

Plan Your Journey

Should you desire to visit this real-life fairy tale castle in person, we invite you to join us on a river journey through Germany. Like many who visit, you too may find yourself in absolutely no hurry to leave. Explore our itineraries to view dates, pricing and excursion details, and discover a side of Germany that few travelers ever get to see.

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