Falkenstein Castle
Burg Falkenstein
A well-preserved 12th-century hilltop castle above the Selke Valley, where the legal code Sachsenspiegel was written. It also hosts birds of prey displays.
Falkenstein Castle was built around 1120 on a ridge overlooking the Selke Valley. It suffered almost no damage and is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in the Harz. In the 13th century, Eike von Repgow wrote the Sachsenspiegel here, the earliest legal code in German. The castle museum displays the knights' hall, the kitchen and weapons, and in summer there are birds of prey flying displays. The walk from the car park to the top takes about 20 minutes, or you can take a sightseeing buggy. The castle is about 45 km from Wernigerode and can be combined with a trip on the narrow-gauge Selke Valley railway.
Opening hours
Apr–Oct 10:00–18:00; Nov–Mar 10:00–16:30 (usually closed Mondays)
Nearby sights
- St. Cyriakus Church, Gernrode
- Quedlinburg Old Town
- Quedlinburg Castle Hill & St. Servatius Church
- Devil's Wall
- Hexentanzplatz
- Rosstrappe
- Bode Gorge
- Halberstadt Cathedral