Meersburg Castle

Meersburg Castle

The oldest inhabited castle in Germany

On a hillside above the blue waters of Lake Constance, in the far south of Germany, stands the Old Castle of Meersburg — and it holds a remarkable claim: it is said to be the oldest inhabited castle in the whole country. While many German castles are ruins or 19th-century rebuilds, Meersburg has been lived in continuously for well over a thousand years, its great keep and halls never abandoned.

Ancient origins

By tradition, the castle was founded in the 7th century, and its mighty central keep is one of the oldest parts, built of huge stones. Over the centuries the castle was enlarged and strengthened, becoming the residence of the prince-bishops of Constance, powerful churchmen who ruled the area.

Because it was always kept in use — as a fortress, a bishop's residence and later a private home — Meersburg never fell into the ruin that claimed so many other medieval castles. Its rooms, stairs, halls and battlements survive as a living record of more than a thousand years of history.

A castle of many rooms

Inside, Meersburg is a fascinating maze of rooms from many different ages: the ancient keep, medieval knights' halls, a chapel, armouries full of weapons, dungeons, and more comfortable later apartments. Walking through it, visitors pass through layer after layer of the past, getting a vivid sense of how castle life changed over the centuries.

The castle's well, its great fireplaces and its defensive features all help tell the story of how people lived, worked and defended themselves here over a thousand years.

A poet's home

In the 1800s, the castle became home to one of Germany's greatest poets, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, who lived and wrote in Meersburg in her final years. Her rooms in the castle can still be seen, adding a literary chapter to its long story and connecting it to the Romantic age, when old castles were especially cherished.

A beautiful lakeside town

Meersburg sits above a pretty old town of the same name, which tumbles down to the shore of Lake Constance. The town, the castle and the lake — with views across the water to Switzerland and, on clear days, the Alps — make a beautiful setting. A newer baroque palace nearby adds to the town's charm.

Visiting today

Visitors can explore the many rooms of the Old Castle — the ancient keep, the knights' halls, the armoury, the dungeons and the poet's rooms — and enjoy views over the lake and the old town. The setting on Lake Constance, one of Germany's loveliest regions, makes a visit especially rewarding. Ancient, lived-in and full of atmosphere, Meersburg Castle is a unique survivor among the castles of Germany.