The World’s 100 Best Castles & Fortresses · 2026
The Best Castles & Fortresses in Germany
7 of the 100 castles in The World’s 100 Best Castles & Fortresses 2026 are in Germany. The highest placed is Kriebstein Castle in Kriebstein, at number 14 in the world. Eltz Castle in Wierschem (number 41) and Hanstein Castle in Bornhagen (number 42) follow.
Moselle, Palatinate and Neckar
Eltz Castle stands in a wooded valley and has been owned by the same family for centuries; the inside is shown on a guided tour. Thurant is a double castle above the Moselle vineyards. Hardenburg near Bad Dürkheim and Heidelberg Castle are ruins of red sandstone.
Saxony and Thuringia
Kriebstein Castle sits on a rock above the Zschopau River. Königstein Fortress covers a table mountain above the Elbe and has a deep well. Hanstein in the Eichsfeld is a ruin with towers to climb.
