Braunfels Castle in the 19th century @museum.de

In the 19th century, Braunfels Castle twice underwent radical changes to its appearance. Inspired by the contemporary vogue for all things medieval, Prince Ferdinand devoted himself to redesigning the inner bailey in the neo-Gothic style. The painting from 1870 by the Frankfurt artist Carl Theodor Reiffenstein shows how Prince Ferdinand’s romanticised vision of the medieval castellum bruninvels was implemented. Inside the castle, the Great Hall bears witness to this period. But the multiple battlements on top of the buildings didn’t survive for long. By 1885, Prince George had given the castle its present appearance.

The resemblance to Hanover’s Marienburg Castle is obvious, and it’s not coincidental. Both were built by the same architect, Edwin Oppler.

Today, the skyline is dominated by the New Keep. It was built to replace the old Luginsland Tower and is the most recent structure within the complex. It also offers magnificent views of the surrounding countryside – when the weather is suitable, of course.

If you’ve come from the market place and are now standing close to the old well, the Leierbrunnen, you can simply continue with your tour with stops 4 and 5.

However, if you have approached the castle from the west, and are now standing near the castle café, we recommend that you continue your tour at Stop 7. You can still listen to stops 4, 5 and 6 later on, as you descend the broad staircase towards the town. In that case, start with stop 5 as you leave the castle, and then move on to stop 4 when you’re near the well. Stop 6 is at the Iron Gate.