Back in March when my parents were visiting we took the cog railway in Königswinter to the Drachenfels (Dragon Rock) at the top of one of the peaks in the Siebengebirge Mountains. When we purchased our ticket for the railroad, we also purchased a ticket to enter the Schloss Drachenfels.According the local tourist information site, it is "definitely worth seeing." My assessment though: don't go with high expectations.
Let me qualify my statement. I was slightly bitter toward the castle from the get-go. When we purchased our ticket in March, the attendant neglected to tell us that the castle wasn't open until April. (You'd think this was a key piece of information to share, right?) Fortunately, the tickets didn't expire, so when I found myself at home on a Sunday with no big plans, it seemed like a perfect outing.
Built by a wealthy stockbroker from 1882 to 1884, the castle sits directly below the Drachenfels fortress ruins. It was damaged during World War II, and soon fell into decay. In the late 60s, a new owner bought the property. He refurbished it and moved in. While still in residence, he opened the castle to the public in 1973.
After the owner’s death in 1989 the region's Institution for the Maintenance of Nature Protection, Homeland, and Culture took ownership. The castle is now considered a historical monument. It is currently undergoing renovations and only a few rooms can be viewed. You can also climb the tower, which offers lovely views of the river valley below.
The castle was our destination, but the day’s fun was in the trip there and back. Kevin and I road our bikes to the ferry, got shuttled to the other side of the river, rode to the base of the mountain, hiked to the top, and had a picnic on the castle grounds. On the way back we stopped in Königswinter for a gelato.
Schloss Drachenburg (Castle Drachenburg)
Drachenfelsstr. 118
53639 Königswinter
Telephone: +49 (0)22 23 / 90 19 70
www.schloss-drachenburg.de
Opening: April 1 through November 1, Tuesday through Sunday, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
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1 comment:
I've been meaning to get to Drachenfels for a while now, but there was scafolding on it last year and have been waiting. I know it's not there nowadays, but I haven't had time yet.
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