Eltz Castle
Burg Eltz
A fairy-tale castle hidden in a forested valley, held by the same family for more than thirty generations and never conquered. It is one of Germany's most famous castles.
Eltz Castle stands on a rock surrounded by the Eltz stream, a tributary of the Moselle. Thick forest surrounds it, and its towers and half-timbered houses are stacked closely together. It once appeared on the old 500-mark banknote. The castle has belonged to the Eltz family since the 12th century. It has survived more than 800 years without being destroyed, and its interior preserves the original Knights' Hall, bedrooms, kitchen and treasury. The interior can only be seen on a guided tour of about 40 minutes (English tours available). Admission costs about 15 euros, including the treasury. The season runs from early April to early November, roughly 09:30–17:30 daily. Getting there: by car, park near Wierschem, then walk about 15 minutes or take a shuttle bus. You can also take the train to Moselkern station and hike about an hour along the Elzbach valley to reach the castle, which is the classic route. It is about 20 km from Cochem.
Opening hours
About early Apr–early Nov 09:30–17:30 (guided tour entry only)
Nearby sights
- St. Castor, Karden
- Burg Pyrmont & Waterfall
- Geierlay Suspension Bridge
- Burg Thurant
- Beilstein
- Bundesbank Bunker Cochem
- Wild- und Freizeitpark Klotten
- Cochem Old Town & Moselle Promenade