The exterior of the castle can be visited from Monday to Friday from 08:00 - 18:00. On weekends,
the outdoor area can be visited only as part of a guided tour of the city.
This text was translated with the free translation tool deepl.com.
Above the roofs of the town, at the top of the ‘Hagenberg’ hill, the characteristic landmark shines in yellow splendour: the baroque Hachenburg Castle. Behind the majestic appearance of the magnificent baroque building lies a moving history that has had a lasting impact on the character of the town.
From trade routes to Hagenberg
The Barrock Castle originated at a starting point whose historical significance is yet to be recognised. The geographical proximity of the Cologne-Frankfurt and Cologne-Leipzig trade routes led to the idea of building a castle on a small basalt cone in the Westerwald around the year 1200. And although the strategic location and panoramic views were initially the reason for building the castle, the prestige and claim to power of Count Heinrich II von Sayn were probably the reason for initiating the construction of Hagenberg Castle. After its construction, however, it was treated rather neglected and was only intended to serve as the count's second residence. Over the years, it developed into the main residence and centre of power of the count's house. Underlined by the stays of renowned personalities such as Kings Adolf von Nassau and Ludwig von Bayer around the year 1300, the history of Hagenberg was to take its course from then on.
Hachenburg Castle: yesterday and today
After several changes of ownership and a major fire in 1654, the castle was destroyed and the foundation stone was laid for the face of the palace. In 1717, the Burgrave of Kirchberg had the castle converted into a baroque palace with a view of the surrounding panorama. Years of expansion and restoration resulted in the castle's current appearance. After eventful times, the castle was to pass into the ownership of its current owner, the German Bundesbank. Extensive remodelling and restoration work on the dilapidated castle resulted in a training and further education centre that has lost none of the princely charm of its time. Where once the nobility resided, today around 140 students study the theories of centralised banking. The University of Applied Sciences of the German Bundesbank thus gives the town of Hachenburg the title of Germany's smallest university town.
The grounds of the castle can be visited from Monday to Friday (08:00-18:00). At weekends, the grounds can only be visited as part of a guided tour of the town.
The city‘s castle is located at Hachenburg‘s highest point.
Contact and directions
Schlossberg 1
57627 Hachenburg