SCHLOSS HIRSCHHORN
CASTLE HOTEL
Romantic Knights on the Neckar
The Neckar River begins in the southwest Germany meandering north through
flat plains and low mountains until meeting with the Rhine. The part
of this beautiful between Heilbronn and Heidelberg follows a section
of what is referred to as the German Castle Road for its many castles,
large and small. The castle above Heidelberg is the most famous of these
(see Castle
Heidelberg), but following the river to the east where there
river makes a series of bends and curves, other cling to the mountain
sides or watch over the flowing waters from villages. Some of these castle,
having long lost their original purpose, some recovered ruins, have been
turned into hotels.
Around
the beginning of the 13th Century a family of knights built a castle
on
a mountain called Stockelberg in the Odenwald
mountains to
the east of Heidelberg, overlooking the Neckar River Valley where it
formed a junction with a tributary flowing through the steep slopes.
The lush forest around the castle offered plenty of game, especially
deer of great pointed antlers. The medieval castle and the village below
it came to be called Burg Hirschhorn (burg is castle – hirsch is
deer). The knights of Burg Hirschhorn were loyal to the Bishops of Mainz
and the Electors of the Palatine for 400 years until the Friederich of
Hirschhorn came to kill his cousin and his bereaved aunt cursed the family
that Frederich would be the last knight of Hirshhorn. The curse came
true with his death in 1632 and the end of the line.
The
Hirchhorn Castle Hotel is about a twenty minute drive east from Heidelberg,
perched above the village, up a narrow drive from below.
The only parts left of the original medieval stone castle are the high
walls especially on the east side with a high tower stone tower, the
walls can be climbed through tight narrow stone stairs, with a small
donation requested for preservation. The hotel is located in the 17th
late Renaissance period main residence with eight rooms within the schloss,
4 castle rooms, 3 corner rooms and a honeymoon suite.
Another 17 rooms
with twin beds are located in a more modern annex called the marstall,
still within the walls, across the castle ward among the half-timbered
former burg structures. Nearly all the rooms have views of the river
valley and town below. The castle restaurant features game and venison
specialties of the kind which might have set the table of the knights
of the Neckar, along with international fare and typical German dishes,
and desserts from its own bakery. The castle terrace provides views of
the beautiful valley when the weather is good for meals or drinks to
watch the sun set beyond the Odenwald mountains, or candle light dinners
in the warmer months.
Getting to the Hirschorn Castle Hotel
To get
to the Hirschhorn Castle Schlosshotel by car allow 40 minutes
from the west,
A5 via Heidelberg (traffic through Heidelberg can get congested
at rush hours). From the south or east, A6 from Heilbronn, allow an hour
along country roads on the 27 and 37, or others through the Odenwald
if you have a good map or GPS, it's a pretty drive but with potential
for a wrong turn or two. The village of Hirschhorn can be reached
by
SBahn
train
from Heidelberg, but a bit of a hike up to the castle. © Bargain
Travel Europe
Read
Review of
Hirschhorn Castle Hotel
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See Also:
BURG HORNBERG CASTLE HOTEL - NECKARTAL
CASTLE
GUTTENBURG FALCONS
HOTEL
ZUM RITTER ST GEORGE - HEIDELBERG
SCHLOSS EGGERSBERG CASTLE HOTEL ALTMUHLTAL
NECKAR RIVER CRUISES FROM HEIDELBERG
HEILIGGEIST CHURCH – HEIDELBERG
