Mespelbrunn Castle

Our next stop was another castle we had on our list of places to visit. This castle was relatively unknown until it was featured in a German movie in 1957. It’s a small castle, nestled in some woods in a small town. There is a spring behind it and they had the water flow around the castle to create a moat and pond in front.

We walked from the parking lot along a path through the woods. It was peaceful and Fall leaves fluttered around us. We didn’t see any other people until we arrived at the castle and joined a group of 20 old people for the last tour of the day led by an older German gentleman.

Mespelbrunn Castle Facts

Date of Construction: May 1st, 1412

First Owner: Hamann Echter

The Castle was remodeled several times, but most of the current structure was done by Peter Echter between 1551 and 1569.

The Castle remained in the Echter Family until the last male in their line, in 1665. Then by marriage, the Counts of Ingelheim line continued ownership through the present day.

The Castle was opened to the public in the 1930s.

One of the few castles to survive the 30-year war.

History of Mespelbrunn Castle

Originally built as a house in 1412 and later rebuilt as a fortified castle with towers, walls, and a moat in 1427. Today the only thing standing from the 15th century is the round tower. Generations have changed the structures to now a Renaissance-styled home.

To this date, it is still a private residence of the family of the Counts of Ingelheim. They live in the southern wing of the castle. They moved out of the main rooms, which are open to the public.

I really loved this place. It was cozy, unlike most other castles we’ve visited. It was nice to know that family still lives in the private wings. We learned about the family–one of the wives had 22 children here (14 survived). I think she was the wife of one of the oldest ancestors who lived here. There were so many family portraits hanging we got a good feel for the family history. One of the rooms had a coat of arms pedigree chart in a stained glass window.

We were allowed in about a third of the castle proper. The main room and dining area felt like hunting lodges with lots of weapons and antlers on the walls. There were paintings of hunting and wild boars and hunting dogs. There were spears for killing wild animals. There was a really old bear skin rug under a table. The rooms weren’t massive, rather comfortable sizes. We saw the places listed above. There were flowers in the rooms and original furnishings that were 200-300 years old. I like it when you get a feel for HOW the people lived in places like this.

Mespelbrunn Castle Interior

One of the main highlights of Mespelbrunn Castle is its beautiful interior. The castle’s interior is open to the public on tours only. It is smaller compared to other castles in Germany, but unique and interesting to see. There are several rooms you can visit as part of the Mespelbrunn Castle tour. Many rooms have furniture and artifacts from the family. [No photos allowed inside most rooms of the castle.]

In these room we were allowed to take photos.

Family History windows!

The castle chapel.

Highlights of the Castle Tour:

The Knights’ Hall – The first stop on tour is the imposing room with red sandstone columns and windows used by the knights to gather.

Chapel – Late gothic in design, the chapel on site has lovely hand-painted windows and an altar made of alabaster.

Chief Porch – Full of little details, this section of the house is beautiful, but even more so when you take a closer look.

Banquet Hall – Inside this room, you’ll find an impressive collection of weapons, including a large ceremonial sword of the Echter Family.

Ancestors Hall – As the name indicates, you’ll find a collection of family paintings, including a portrait of the last Lady Echter, who married Count Ingelheim in 1648, thus transferring the castle into the Count Ingelheim family.

Echter Room – This room is filled with special souvenirs from the most famous family member of the Echter Family, Julius Echter.

Chinese Room – In the 1700’s it was very popular to collect things from Asia, and in this room, you’ll find many pieces from East Asia.

Bed Room – Here, you’ll find an old family bed that is said to be the birthplace of many of the Echter family, including Julius.

The Mill House:

We didn’t get to go in the tall round tower. It looked like a Rapunzel tower. At the top is a library and below that is a reading room. It was really quite magical, with the pond and swans and a few ducks and the fall leaves surrounding us. There is an old building that used to be a mill house where you can make reservations to stay. An old horse stall has been made into a restaurant by the pond. There was one other building where servants lived. It all felt manageable and family-centered, not kingly or “look at me, I’m bigger and stronger than you.”

It was a nice way to end our day. Peaceful and beautiful.