BURG HORNBERG - CASTLE HOTEL
German Knight's Castle on the Neckar Valley
The
Neckar River flows northward from industrial Stuttgart through Heilbronn, then
where it winds lazily through
the wooded Odenwald Forest and the Neckar Valley
(Neckartal) of hill slopes lined with wine grape vineyards and castles
to Heidelberg, then onward through Mannheim to the meet up with the mighty
Rhine. Germany’s “Castle Road” follows the river
through this part of Baden-Württemberg from Heidelberg to Heilbronn
where the idyllic mountain hills evoke a lost romantic age.
Standing
above a wide curve of the river the tower of Burg Hornberg castle stands sentinel
over the barges
which pass
through locks on the river below. This 11th
Century castle was once the home of a German knight of curious
legend, with a modern day connection to Japan and comic books. The knight Götz von Berlichingen
lost one of his hands in a tournament and had it replaced with an artificial
iron glove. It is suggested that the German knight Götz is the inspiration
for the hero “Guts” of a popular Japanese Manga graphic
novel series “Berzerk”, and he indeed certainly was the inspiration
for the first play by written by Goethe (see Goethe
House Frankfurt).
Legend or not, the grandson of Götz
von Berlichingen sold the castle after his death to the Barons of Gemmingen
who have owned it for twelve generations. Since 1953 the Gemmingens
have operated a hotel and restaurant at this unique castle. The main castle is for the most part a magnificent ruin with
its original tower still intact, sitting atop a steep-sloped mountain,
surrounded by grape vineyards on the riverside and dark forest on the
other. The castle is easily reached by car, driving through the medieval
stone gate into the courtyard, but parking can be tight if the restaurant
is busy with locals.
The
hotel portion of the Burg Hornberg takes up two floors in a cozy stone
and wood beam building across a courtyard.
The rooms are a little basic, more like a country inn, but with private balconies looking out
into the deep wooded forest slope, a
warm lounge including suit of armor stadning watch and just steps across
the
medieval
courtyard
from the restaurant. The Burg Hornberg restaurant, which began in the
stable of the castle has been expanded with window views and an open air terrace looking
out
on the
spectacularly romantic vista of the Neckar Valley. The restaurant offers a selective
gourmet dining menu taking inspiration from regional dishes of Swabia
and Baden, along with
a selection of wines, including vintages from the castle's own vineyards.
The wines of the Von Gemmingen Weingut can also be purchased on the castle
grounds.
The
current Baron von Gemmingen runs the castle hotel and restaurant with
personal attention, bringing
his
experience of managing major resort
hotels home to the family business. The Hornberg Castle makes for a
romantic stop on a Neckar Valley wine tasting tour, a river cruise,
a central base for country and forest walks, biking, exploring the
other castles and medieval towns of the Neckar Valley,
Mosbach, Bad Wimpfen (see Bad Wimpfen on the Neckar) and Rothenberg where the “Castle Road” meets
the “Romantic Road”.
The
Auto and Technical Museum at Sinsheim is about 45 minutes away (see Sinsheim
Museum)
and Heidelberg is about an hour
along the winding road which follows the river bank through steep
slopes (see Schloss
Heidelberg). The other castle
in the von Gemmingen family, Guttenberg Castle is visible
across the valley and a short drive across the river. On the grounds
is an Eagle and Falcon
Sanctuary with
daily
shows of
the magnificent birds (see Castle
Guttenberg Knights and Falcons).
The
Hornberg Castle and Restaurant are a popular location for
romantic castle weddings (in its authentic gothic chapel), receptions
and wine
tasting
tours with the spirit of Götz von Berlichingen not far away,
watching over the modern day guests to his medieval knights
castle, as one of his iron gloves (a replica) hangs on the restaurant
wall next to his
portrait. © Bargain
Travel Europe
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Burg
Hornberg
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See Also:<
CASTLE HOTELS IN PIEMONTE VALLEY
MUNCASTER
CASTLE & COACHMAN'S QUARTERS
COCHEM CASTLE MOSEL RIVER WINE REGION
