Burg Frankenstein

History

Burg Frankenstein is a hilltop castle perched on the Odenwald mountains overlooking Darmstadt, in Hesse, Germany. Its name means “Stone of Franks,” referring to the Germanic tribe that once ruled the region.

The castle was built before 1250 by Lord Conrad II Reiz (or Reinhard) of Breuberg. He later adopted the name von und zu Frankenstein. The castle was first mentioned in 1252 in a document naming Lord Conrad as its owner. Conrad founded the free imperial Barony of Frankenstein. This was a domain with its own sovereignty across Hesse and the Wetterau. The first mention is a charter of June 2nd, 1252, concerning Conrad and his wife, Elisabeth von Weiterstadt, who are regarded as the founders of the castle and of the Frankenstein family. The castle was probably built around 1230, and the oldest part is the southern inner castle and its tower, of which only foundations and long-buried vaults remain. The castle was never besieged.

In the 13th century, the castle was expanded with an inner bailey housing the lord's residence, chapel, and tower. The Frankensteins formed an alliance with the Counts of Katzenelnbogen in 1292.

In the 14th century, the castle spread outward, gaining a bustling outer bailey filled with farm buildings and servant quarters. By 1363, the fortress was split between two branches of the Frankensteins.

At the beginning of the 15th century, the castle was enlarged, and the Frankenstein knights became independent of the Counts of Katzenelnbogen. The gate tower dates from the late 14th century, the outer bailey was added around 1400, and in 1402, the castle became an imperial fief. The chapel in the outer bailey was built in 1474. A devastating fire in 1483 destroyed much of the inner castle, and when the water ran out, the fire was put out with 14,000 liters of wine. The rebuilding took 40 years, and the date 1527 is above the left window of the second floor of the residential tower. The last building was a massive Powder Tower, outside the inner ring toward today's car park.

The Frankensteins were devout Catholics and resisted the Protestant Reformation. They were often at odds with the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt over religious rights. In 1662, Lord John I sold the castle and lordship to his rival, Landgrave Louis VI of Hesse-Darmstadt. The price was 109,000 gulden, which the family used to buy the domain in Ullstadt, in Middle Franconia. The family moved to a smaller domain in Ullstadt, where their descendants still reside.

In the 18th century, the castle was reused as a barracks for retired soldiers. It was later a hospice for disabled soldiers and the elderly. The Frankensteins sold the castle in good condition in 1662, and Hesse made it an old-age home for retired soldiers, and at times a prison for a single nobleman. Little money was spent on maintenance, so rain came through the damaged roofs, the roof beams rotted, and one day everything collapsed. Wind and weather alone destroyed it. When the buildings fell down in the 18th century, the people of the surrounding villages used the ruin as a cheap quarry for their houses. Some buildings in the outer bailey survived because they were used as a forestry office, and the manor house of the younger line and the stables, which held an inn, stood until 1965, when they were torn down for new buildings. Only the chapel keeps its old walls. Treasure hunters dug in the ruins in the 1700s, and one of them died when his dig collapsed, after which the authorities banned the digging. The castle was restored as a tourist attraction in the 19th century. Towers and buildings were added in the mid-1800s. Grand Duke Louis III had the ruins protected and the two towers restored, although historians call the restoration inaccurate. Folklore says that the alchemist Johann Konrad Dippel was born at the castle in 1673 and carried out experiments there, although historians doubt it.

In 1818, the castle's name became famous when Mary Shelley published the novel "Frankenstein". She may have seen the castle from nearby Gernsheim. Historians doubt that the castle inspired her. After World War II, a U.S. Forces network broadcast from the castle on Halloween night in 1952. They claimed it was "the real home of the monster" and that the monster would return that night. This broadcast sparked a Halloween tradition that has continued since the mid to late 1970s, until the renovation began in 2023. The festival has since moved to Burg Königstein.

The castle is now owned by the State of Hesse. It is undergoing renovations to restore its medieval character. The castle is run by Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten Hessen, and the renovation by the Landesbetrieb Bau und Immobilien Hessen is planned until the end of 2028, so parts of the castle may be closed from time to time. The restaurant has been suspended and will reopen after the work is finished.

The castle chapel is still in use today, serving as a registry office where civil wedding ceremonies are held.

Castle Highlights

If you are planning a visit, Burg Frankenstein was especially lively around Halloween until 2023, when an admission fee was charged. The rest of the year, you can freely explore the castle grounds and enjoy the ruins at your own pace. The Eberstadt/Frankenstein history society offers historical guided tours that the state castle administration recognizes, in return for a donation. The castle is being renovated until about the end of 2028, so some areas may be closed. When I visited, the castle was unmanned, with only a car park and a trailer in front selling snacks and drinks.

The castle car park is right next to the castle, making it a convenient place for you to begin your visit. From there, you can enter through the west gate into the inner bailey—the castle's oldest part. Here, you will discover the west gate, the stately palace (main hall), and the kitchen building. Be sure to climb the tower, or turm, rising above the inner bailey, for sweeping panoramic views westward into the Rhine Valley.

Burg Frankenstein's Chapel is one of the few buildings at the castle with preserved interior spaces.

As you explore the outer bailey, you will find mostly smaller ruins and portions of a curtain wall, but enough remains for you to appreciate the impressive size of the castle. You can walk around the outside of the castle walls as well, though at times the views are hidden by trees.

You can thoroughly explore the castle in two hours. For a memorable day, start at Schloss Heidelberg, then visit Burg Frankenstein for a couple of hours to round out your castle adventure.

There is a legend associated with Burg Frankenstein.