Less than an hour from Frankfurt is the Ronneburg Medieval Castle, today’s Christmas Market destination. This castle dates back to the mid 1200s and we’d heard a lot about the Christmas Market there–if you come dressed in medieval clothes, your ticket is discounted.
We parked on a muddy hillside of grass, then hiked up the hill to the top where the castle sits on a basalt cone, or rock outcropping. The market had a medieval theme and was in an area at the base of the castle. The ground was covered with straw so it wasn’t muddy.
Each little stall or shop had something to do with the theme–clothing, weapons, dress up clothing for children, soaps and candles, lots of jewelry, skins and clothing made from them, belts and caps, scarves, etc. The food was also old world food–Brats and rolls, really delicious freshly made Kase Spaetzle, loaves of artisan bread of every kind, meat grilled on skewers, baked apples, deep fried apple rings (yum), the spiral cut potatoes, crepes, sausages and more.
We walked through the market area below the castle first, then went up through the gates and into the castle grounds. There were more shops there and a courtyard with benches around some really good musicians playing medieval instruments. I LOVED the music and especially hearing Christmas carols performed with the stringed instruments, recorders, bagpipe-type thing and more.
Here we are going inside the actual castle, where there were more shops and interesting things to see.
This is the very deep caste well.
Here’s a blacksmith shop with working bellows.
We climbed up this tower on a very narrow circular staircase. The views were spectacular.
Above is the parking in the field, below is the market area below the castle.
Then we sat and listened to these amazing Medieval musicians. They performed for about an hour, mostly beautiful old Christmas carols. I loved the music.
We bumped into the Romney family with their visiting daughter and granddaughter!
Then we toured through more of the castle’s rooms and enjoyed the fun shops there.
These walnuts have a little message of hope or cheer inside that you can open if you are feeling down.
Horns and lavender sachets:
There were rooms with weaponry and torture items.
This is the cooking or kitchen area:
This lady was shelling the roasted chestnuts.
Enjoying some roasted chestnuts:
More shops and more castle:
A castle toilet:
We had some Delicious Käse Spätzle. See the next post to learn how it’s made.
What an incredible day! It was like stepping back in time. I loved it, every bit. I just finished reading a book called Pope Joan, a fine piece of historical fiction set in the 800s in Germany. Today was a nice visual for some of the things I read about.
If you didn’t know it was winter here, you’d think it was spring. All the fields and rolling hills are green–they’ve been green since we arrived a few months ago. This is beautiful country.
Our Frankfurt Germany Mission 