Schloss Blankenburg (Großes Schloss)
Blankenburg's skyline is owned by this hulking Baroque residence — the largest surviving Guelph castle in Germany — rising on the 305-metre Kalkberg Blankenstein. Step inside for gilded halls, a castle chapel with a high cross vault, and views that stretch across the entire Harz foreland.
A Palace Rescued by Its People
After decades of neglect following reunification, locals formed the Verein Rettung Schloss Blankenburg in 2005 and began painstakingly bringing the building back to life. Today the Grey Hall, Theater, Castle Chapel, Imperial Hall, and Knights' Hall are all open again for guided tours and events.
The castle's old theater still hosts concerts, exhibitions, and even civil weddings, making it one of the most atmospheric venues in the entire Harz region.
The Baroque Gardens Below
Terraced Baroque gardens cascade down the castle hill in three distinct sections — the terraced garden, the mountain garden, and the pheasant garden — offering manicured lawns and ornamental geometry that contrast beautifully with the wild forest beyond.
From the garden terraces you get the same panoramic sweep of Blankenburg's half-timbered Altstadt below and the Brocken massif on the horizon — no entrance fee required for the gardens themselves.
Getting There & Practicalities
From Blankenburg train station, walk south roughly 20 minutes following signs for 'Großes Schloss'; the final approach is a moderately steep lane called Friederike-Caroline-Neuber-Straße. Limited free parking is available at the castle itself.
Interior visits are only possible on a guided tour. The association runs regular public tours and the castle is often closed or reduced in winter, so check current schedules at rettung-schloss-blankenburg.de before you go.
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