GesundLand Vulkaneifel Experience Culture & Sights Castles & Forts

Castles & forts

Knights. Armour. Ruins.

Damsels in long robes flit through the narrow passageways. Knights in heavy mail shirts stride up the stairs. Horses snort in the courtyard. Close your eyes and travel back in time to the Middle Ages within the walls of Manderscheid Castles.

A lot of steps to the upper castle

The upper castle is situated on a flattened mountain top. The journey of discovery to it therefore begins with a lot of steps. Once at the top you will be rewarded with a breathtaking view across Manderscheid and the Liesertal. As can still be seen from the ruins today, the castle possessed an almost triangular-shaped outer wall and a five-floor castle keep. Meanwhile you can once more enter this tower, climb the inside stairs and look down upon the lower castle. With a little imagination you can envisage what a cauldron of fire the narrow Liesertal was in the Middle Ages. There were hidden dangers everywhere.

The lower castle – an historic seat of baronial power

In the 12^th Century the lords of Manderscheid ruled in the lower castle. In the Middle Ages they were an important noble family. Under Wilhelm V. the until then more or less modestly sized castle was built into a splendid seat of baronial power with fortifications – that you will see today when you visit it.

Manderscheid Castle Festival

Swords rattle, hooves clatter and jugglers go through their acts. In August the Manderscheid castles turn into a mediaeval showground. Knights battle for damsels’ favour, while lords fight over territory.

This is the high point of the Historic Castle Festival at the Manderscheid lower castle, which is held at the end of August every year. Here the attractive and joyful aspects of the Middle Ages are revived and every summer draw in thousands of visitors. Minstrels, jugglers or craftspeople show off their skills and their art, and mediaeval musicians give their all – it is a colourful spectacle.

Ulmen Castle Ruin

The remains of the Ulmen Castle Ruin keep watch over the Ulmener Maar, the youngest of the Eifel maars.

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Electoral Palace in Bad Bertrich

Right next to the Kursaal (spa hall) stands the Kurfürstliche Schlösschen (Electoral Palace) of Bad Bertrich. Particularly in spring, with the colourfully blooming health garden around it, a trip destination that is worth the visit!

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Manderscheid Castles

The Castle Festival at the end of August draws thousands of visitors to Manderscheid every year. However, even away from the hurly-burly there is always something for big and little visitors to see at the Manderscheid Castles.

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