Kirkel Castle

Kirkel, Germany

Kirkel Castle was mentioned in documents first time in 1075. The small towers were added in the 13th century. Between 1410-1793 it belonged to Zweibrücken family, who rebuilt and enlarged complex in the 16th century. The castle was destroyed in 1689.

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Details

Founded: 11th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Germany
Historical period: Salian Dynasty (Germany)

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Alexander Petrovsky (12 months ago)
This spot became special for me ?
Koushik (17 months ago)
The place is really nice, especially the weather in the summer.
Danielle Cummings (2 years ago)
Came here with my 3 kids ages 5,3,1 years and my mother in law. Overall, I’m not sure this trip was entirely worth it. The closest parking spot we found was street parking near the marketplatz being constructed, about 10 minutes away. We used a stroller for the older two and I wore the baby, and it was a challenging walk to the ruins - VERY steep at the very end. Once there, there wasn’t much to see aside from the tower (that didn’t have an overly great view compared to Potzberg or Landstuhl turm) and an isolated wall opposite the tower. There was a lot of graffiti and litter in and around the castle. The road immediately around the ruin, burgstraß, clearly is set up for festivals which are likely amazing but weren’t active on the Thursday afternoon we visited, nor was the “restaurant” open though it was supposed to be, and it seemed to just be a window you order through and sit at one of the many seating options on that path. There were bathrooms right near the restaurant window which were open and clean. We ended up leaving there and walking the local trails which were nice but nothing remarkable. I’d say it might be worth a trip if there was a festival happening, but otherwise not so much.
Rabindra Goit (5 years ago)
A fortified castle dated from approx. 1560. You can see the ruins left of upper levels living quarters and ceremonial rooms. An original picture how it looked before it was bombarded. It has a beautiful view of the village/town Kirkland. You can rest while learning about the history !!!
Craig Little (5 years ago)
The castle itself is in decent condition and is cared for by the local municipality. There's a tower you can climb which provides an amazing view of the surrounding city but it is closed off to the public in winter months. Parking close to the castle is NOT possible, at the closest point you will have to walk about half a kilometre to get there. It is at the top of a short but steep climb. There are no public restrooms available, there is a small cafe with limited opening hours. The castle is being restored slowly and has had several walking paths (metal) added over the years to increase access to the castle. I'd say it's worth a visit if you are in the area of Neunkirchen/homburg already but not a place worth making a full day plan out to visit on its own.
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