Away from the hustle bustle of Germany´s old capital—Bonn, lies a beautiful castle named Drachenburg. Situated right above the dreamy medieval town Königswinter, the Schloss Drachenburg acquires its significance from the ruins at the top of the peak – Drachenfels (“Dragon´s Rock”).
History of Drachenfels
Siegfried, the hero of the Nibelungenlied, is said to have slayed the dragon Fafnir here and bathed in its blood to become invulnerable. This mythology gives a reason enough to visit the beauty.
Drachenfels, is a hill almost 1,053ft (321meters) high in the Siebengebirge uplands (the seven mountains) between Köningswinter and Bad Honnef. The hill top/Drachenfels, offers breathtaking panoramic views of the river Rhine and the Siebengebirge range of hills. The rock, like the rest of the Siebengebirge, is formed by the remains of a volcano and has been the site of a trachyte quarry since Roman times. The stones from the site was used to build the heroic Cologne Cathedral.
In a need of a shield of protection for the attackers from south, Arnold I, the cologne archibishop, laid its construction from 1138 to 1167. But even by 1634, it was unfinished when an archibishop demolished during the Thirty Year War and was never rebuilt. Erosion due to quarrying undermined most of the remains and now only a small part of it exists.
This wasn’t the end of Drachenfels, rather even after its break down, the rock and the ruins gained popularity by the visits from elites like Lord Byron. It was soon a highlight for Rhine romantics. Now, the visitors usually come to enjoy the neogothic castle, lower down the hill. But still the breathtaking views from the Drachenfels remain unbeatable.
History of Drachenburg
This magnificent edifice, built from 1882 to 1884, for Stephan von Sarter, the son of a Bonn innkeeper, has been one of the important castles erected in Germany. Baron Stephan von Sarter had laid the foundation stone for an imposing residence, namely, Schloss Drachenburg – a mixture of villa, mansion and castle, after being appointed a Baron in 1881. Two Düsseldorf-based architects, Leo von Abbema and Bernhard Tüshaus drew the initial blueprints for the castle, which soon were revised by Wilhelm Hoffmann, a former of Ernst Friedrich Zwirner, a Cologne Cathedral architect.
The historical architecture and splendid furnishings of Schloss Drachenburg were found much of an admiration amongst contemporaries. Yet Sarter was never to live there. It was then purchased by Jakob Biesenbach, one of Sarter´s nephew who wide opened the castle for tourism by modifying into a Swiss style hotel and building Nordic summer houses in 1903.
It was sold over again a multiple time till it got damaged in the second world war, where the castle was a Nazi Elite school. The most sustainable damage done to the building during this time was the destruction of the original Main Portal. It again had change of ownerships from time to time until the castle was listed as a monument in 1986.
In 1989, urgent measures for full restoration were initiated by the North Rhine-Westphalia Foundation of Nature, Heritage & Culture. And, in 2010, the rehabilitation work inside the castle was completed and all the restored and refurnished rooms were made accessible to visitors.
Visiting Schloss Drachenburg
The castle offers a unique convergence of architectural designs from 19th and the 20th centuries. The magnificent gathering rooms, clock tower, canvas paintings by Frank Kirchbach and Ferdinand Wagner, the Bar, the Bedrooms with epic view is all quite impressive. For that very reason, since the early 20th century, the castle has attracted many tens of thousands of visitors with its rich combination of landscape, culture, nature and history.
At the foot, you can find restaurants, bistro and shops for those not interested in walking up the steep hill. There is a small historic funicular that takes the visitors from the bottom to the top of the hill.
Other things to do near Drachenburg Castle
Have a Toy Train Experience
The historic funicular itself is a point of attraction in this beautiful nature reserves. It offers a thrilling and forestry experience which takes you to a height of 321meters on a steep hill. The cable car rising towards the top running into forest with a dreamy castle alongside and a breathtaking Rhine panorama will surely leave you spellbound.
Lemmerzbad
Looking for options to convert your half-day trip to a full-day fun, where castle and the ruins is the half and the other half could be well spent in leisure and relaxation at the Lemmerzbad/ open swimming pools. The location of this pool is terrific, offering great views of Drachenfels and Drachenburg. Right in the nature, Lemmerzbad offers 3 outdoor pools for kids/toddlers, children and adults.
Königswinter
Explore Germany´s one of the beautiful towns right next to the charming and show stealing Drachenburg castle, which makes Köningswinter underrated. Along the Rhine, with cupid and homely streets, colourful cafes, eccentric boutiques, tree-lined walkways, happy and smiling faces, Köningswinter itself is an inspiration to Rhine romantism. Have a walk around the town, when tired sip on some coffee at the Marktplatz and have some calm time.
Is the castle toddler or handicapped friendly?
This castle is not 100% stroller and wheelchair friendly, but you can explore most of the parts of the castle, apart from the indoors—where there are stairways. There is a cable train from the bottom to the top of the hill, which will help you getting to the castle and to the tip.
If you wish to explore on foot, the route from the parking to the castle is yet doable. But the way up to the ruins / Drachenfels is not apt (rocky, raw trail), so from there you can take the cable train.
Tips:
Wear comfortable footwear to climb the steep hill.
Carry a camera, if you are into photography, as the views are worth capturing.
Have enough water along with you.
Plan a picnic, carry food and soft-drinks or games, grab a spot and have a great time in nature. Don’t wish to take efforts, then book a picnic basket specially assembled for your taste, online!
Sip on some coffee at the top of the hill, with a beautiful landscape of Siebengebirge and Rhine panorama.
How to reach Drachenfels/ Drachenburg
Address: Drachenfelsstrasse 118, 53639 Königswinter Germany
By Air:
Cologne-Bonn airport is only 35kms away and offers great public transport connectivity, buses and taxis, to take you to the castle.
By Car:
From Cologne (Köln): Take A555 to Bonn then exit onto A565 Bonn, Beuel Nord, then A59 towards Königswinter and continue on B42.
From Frankfurt: Follow A3 until exit Siebengebirge/Ittenbach, then follow street to Königswinter.
From Koblenz: Take B42 following the Rhine until Königswinter, or take B9 / Bonn and the Rhine Ferry to Königswinter.
By Train:
Cologne (Köln) – Koblenz route (RE8 or RB27) with a stop at Königswinter every 30 minutes.
By Boat
Multiple Rhine river cruises stop at Drachenfels.
Admission to Schloss Drachenburg
- Adults: 7 Euro
- Kids/Students: 5 Euro
- Family Ticket: 17 Euro
- Audio guide in German, English and Dutch (only Android): Free
Opening Hours:
Jan – Feb:
Mon to Sun: 12 – 17pm
March – June:
Mon to Sun: 11 – 18pm
July to August:
Mon to Sun: 11 – 19pm
Sept – 24th Nov:
Mon to Sun: 11 – 18pm
For more detailed information, you can even check the official Drachenburg website.
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Author: Kinnari
Welcome! I am Kinnari, a 20 something Engineer from Pune, India. Presently residing in Germany, which got me an opportunity to explore the world around me! Staying far from my family also got me a chance to step into the kitchen and put my apron on! Altogether a big opportunity to share my experiences with you!
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