Wernigerode Castle

Wernigerode Castle is the quintessential Harz mountain castle. Originally a medieval fortification first documented in 1213, it was rebuilt in the 19th century in a romantic neo-Gothic style by Count Otto of Stolberg-Wernigerode, with architects Carl Frühling and Karl Frühling carrying out the reconstruction between 1862 and 1885. The castles towers, turrets, and battlements rise above Wernigerodes half-timbered Altstadt, creating a silhouette that matches the fairy-tale castle archetype. The fully furnished interior preserves 42 rooms across several historical styles from Gothic to Neo-Renaissance, including a knights hall with a monumental fireplace and coffered ceiling, a library with over 30,000 volumes, a state dining room with a long table set for 24, a castle chapel with Gothic vaulting and stained glass, and numerous living quarters with original wallpapers, furniture, and paintings from the Stolberg family collection. The castle is surrounded by a park with terraced gardens, ornamental flower beds, and walking paths with views over the Harz mountains. The Harz Railway steam train from Wernigerode to the Brocken summit connects the castle to the wider Harz hiking and heritage region. The castle is a 15-minute walk from Wernigerode Hauptbahnhof.