FIVE CREEPY GERMAN CASTLES

Many of the old European nations have some pretty eerie places to boast about, from natural landmarks to spooky villages, many urban legends surround them. But, among the most celebrated scary sights to see are the castles. Many are not only ominous in their structure, but their placement sometimes sees them atop great forested hills or in the midst of ghostly valleys filled with rolling fog. Some even have a splattering of blood trailing through their histories. You could almost throw a dart at a map of Europe and hit a country that has such places, so today, we'll talk about five creepy castles scattered throughout Germany.

1) Eltz Castle in Munstermaifield:



Eltz Castle, formerly the home of the Eltz Family in the 12th century, looms high in the hills above the Moselle River. It is said to house the souls of medieval knights as the clanging and battering of swords can be heard echoing through the massive halls. Laughter rings out in the towers when no one is around, as well as the clinking of armor and goblets in the courtyards. The ghost of Lady Agness, who died defending the castle, is said to haunt the room where her armor and battle-axe still hang on the wall. Her spirit is said to be seen crossing the room from time to time.

2) Schloss Wolfegg  in Regensburg:

 

This Renaissance Castle is the seat of the Waldburg-Wolfegg County in Upper Swabia. The compound is mighty and full of buildings, wings, and rooms, but a limestone cave hidden far below the castle is where the wandering spirits are said to reside. From their trench deep in the earth, they rise in the night and prowl the grounds. Among the phantoms is an unfaithful knight's wife who had an affair with a nobleman. When the knight discovered the two having this illicit affair, he had them both put to death and thrown into the cave. It is said they still walk the castle, seeking vengeance upon their killer.

3) Stockenfels Castle in Bavaria:

 

Due to unethical business practices by the pub owners that once lived here, it is believed that their souls are imprisoned here by the Devil himself. In life, these publicans ripped off their patrons by diluting the beer they served, and their penalty for this is an eternity of servitude trapped here on the grounds of Stockenfels. Satan is said to stand at the top of a well where his prisoners must continuously fetch water from and bring him bucket after bucket by climbing a long ladder that stretches down into the dark watery depths. Around midnight, Ol' Scratch pours more water into the well, making this an everlasting torment. People have reported seeing the horned-figure near the well, late into the night. His loud, bellowing laughter has also been heard carried on the nighttime breeze.

 

 

4) Nordkirchen Castle in Westphalia:

 

This sprawling, palatial castle in the state of North Rhine Westphalia is quite a majestic display of opulence, but it is also a training ground for German tax collectors. Built in the early 1700s, this castle was once home to a very disliked debt collector. That might explain the moat that circles the massive construct. Once this collector died, his wraith-like ghost lingered to haunt the place. Local lore states that the townsfolk prayed for deliverance from this unpopular ghoul, and late one night, a black carriage pulled up to the gates and sat idle for a little while before ripping off into the darkness. The spirit was never seen again, but sometimes, when the moon is full and bright, that black carriage returns, racing passed the gates beneath the glow of the lunar beams.

 

 

5) Plassenburg Castle in Kulmbach, Bavaria: 

Undoubtedly, the grimmer of all the tales is that of the macabre and harrowing account of Plassenburg Castle. A widow once fell in love with a prince here, and he told her that perhaps they could be wed if not for the "four eyes between" them. When the young Blueblood said this, he was referring to his parents. The widow, Katharina, decided to remedy this problem by removing the obstacles. Unfortunately, she misinterpreted his meaning and killed her children. The petrified prince departed in terror, appalled by the woman's ghastly act. Soon after his leaving, Katharina's dead body was found somewhere in the castle. Now, her spirit drifts along the halls, chasing the ghosts of her children, who fear her and avoid her. Her cries and pleas have been heard shrieking through the corridors; the screams of her terrified children soon follow.      

 

 

 

Medieval castles are true images of grandeur, signs of power and nobility. But, sometimes they are also sights of treachery, betrayal, and murder, and these landmarks of lavish living are often times rendered to nothing more than giant tombs where the spirits of the slayers and slain alike wander for eternity, unable to move on from the tragedies of their frightening ends.