Questions and answers

It is not possible to stay overnight at Falkenstein Castle. Various types of accommodation are available in the castle surroundings, e.g. in the “Gartenhaus” guest house or at Schlosshotel Meisdorf.

The tourist information centres, e.g. at the “Gartenhaus” (tel. +49 34743 53565) or in Meisdorf (tel. 49 34743 8200) will be happy to help you select and book your accommodation..

You can find current information on our admission fees here

Dogs (on a lead) and other animals may be brought as far as the castle inn. Dogs and other animals are not allowed in the courtyard and beyond or in the exhibition rooms, with the exception of guide dogs and assistance dogs; these are also admitted to the museum as long as the castle rules are followed. Dogs must be kept under control in line with regulations and place such that all entrances and exits can be used without hindrance.

Falkenstein Castle’s unique location, the architecture which has evolved over time and its classification as a heritage area mean that it is not fully accessible. Visitors with walking difficulties and wheelchair users can access the castle via flat cobbled pathways as far as the inn, or the courtyard in the main body of the castle. The exhibition rooms are only accessible via steps and/or staircases.

The falconry demonstrations take place on the outer ward, which is on ground level.

There are toilets for visitors with disabilities both at the “Gartenhaus” car park and at Falkenstein Castle itself.

A bike stand can be found in front of Gate 2.

There are rules to keep the castle safe, secure and well organised. These are binding for all visitors to Falkenstein Castle. When you buy a ticket or use any other form of authorisation to enter the castle (e.g. a yearly pass), you accept the castle rules.

In particular, these include the fact that it is not allowed to climb, enter or damage rocks, battlements, the castle walls or construction sites in any part of the castle.

Indoors and from Gate 7 (the entrance to the main body of the castle), it is not permitted to eat, drink, smoke or enter with dogs or other animals.

The full set of castle rules are available here to read and/or download:

Our current castle rules

During opening hours, lockers are available in the vaulted room at Gate 3 for the safekeeping of your items of clothing, helmets, bags etc. You will need a 1-euro piece to use the lockers. Bulky items of all kinds, such as large handbags, briefcases, umbrellas, rucksacks, scooters, etc. must be handed in. We accept no liability for items left in the cloakroom or the content of lockers.

As the castle was built over a period going back nine hundred years, construction work is frequently necessary. At the moment, the entire shield wall at Falkenstein Castle is being restored, as can be seen from the large scaffolding on the outside. The ongoing construction work means that there may sometimes be noise or minor disruptions caused by the construction companies’ craftspeople and vehicles.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. On a positive note, the castle’s permanent exhibition is hardly affected by the construction work at all. In fact, when the work is completed, as planned for the start of 2020, the exhibition will include further rooms previously not open to the public, with a total area of some 80 square metres. One is the “shooting range”, part of the early modern defences.

We always have an open ear for your ideas, requests, suggestions and, of course, praise. Tell us what you think using one of the forms found in the castle shop, or at the following e-mail address:bur g-falkenstein@kulturstiftung-st.de

Or you can use the contact form on our website.

Coming from Aschersleben, Quedlinburg/Ballenstedt, Harzgerode, Mansfeld or Hettstedt, the route to Falkenstein Castle is shown within a wide area on the signs of the Harz district authorities or the Romanesque Route.

The “Gartenhaus” public car park is roughly 1.9 km away from Falkenstein Castle, with plenty of car and coach parking spaces. Parking currently costs 3 euros a day.

The castle’s location in a nature reserve means that it is not possible for individuals to drive up to the entrance. From the car park, walkers can take a path to the castle.

Other means of getting from the “Gartenhaus” to the castle are:

Road train/castle taxi, tel.: +49 34743 81 -74 or

Horse-drawn wagon, tel.: +49 34743 81 -64.

(Please call the phone numbers indicated for information on departure times and prices.)

Alongside the museum exhibition, Falkenstein Castle also runs numerous events, such as concerts or the now traditional castle festival on the first weekend in October.
Please note that during large events such as the castle festival (including the days spent preparing for it and cleaning up afterwards), there are no educational activities at the museum or tours.
The price of admission may differ during events compared with that of normal museum admission.
The falconry demonstrations may be at different times, or cancelled altogether, during large events.

An overview of our events can be found here

For many years, there has been a falconry at Falkenstein Castle, presenting these fascinating birds as they fly freely.

More information can be found here

For legal and conservational reasons, filming and photography are not permitted indoors (apart from the fairy-tale room), at the ticket desk or in the castle shop.

Food and drinks may not be consumed in the inner courtyard or the exhibition rooms.

Plenty of tables, seating and facilities for disposing of waste and packaging are available in the outer area.

It is our pleasure to offer you guided tours of the castle for groups of 10 or more (up to 30 people per group) when booked in advance. For each tour, there is an additional charge per person on top of the cost of admission. The Foundation has its own staff and hired guides who always carry out these tours.

Additional information on our themed tours and other educational content at the museum can be found here

Falkenstein Castle and some 120 other partners are signed up to this attractive all-inclusive tourism pass. Purchasing the card gives you free admission to all participating institutions within the defined validity period.

Further information on the Harz Card can be found here

Get to know the Harz! The “Harzer Wandernadel” (Harz walking pins) stamp points are found at a total of 222 highly rated spots. Falkenstein Castle is part of this great project. Stamp point no. 200 is right in front of the castle, at the first gate.

Further information on the “Harzer Wandernadel” can be found here

If you find any items on the castle grounds/in the exhibition rooms, please hand them in to a guard or at the ticket desk, or inform a guard.

Whether you are interested in a special product exclusive to Falkenstein Castle, publications on the topic, our popular little castle guide or a special souvenir as a memento or gift, you’ll be sure to find something to suit any visitor in the varied range at our castle shop.

Current press material (media releases, images etc.) about Falkenstein Castle museum’s exhibitions and events can be found here

Falkenstein Castle has a castle inn, the “Krummes Tor”, offering visitors refreshments before or after their visit to the museum.

Please note that as the castle’s architecture evolved over time, the inn is within the area of the castle tour. It is not separately accessible during the museum opening hours, i.e. it can only be reached on payment of the usual museum admission fee. The castle inn’s opening hours may also differ from those of the museum.

On the way to Falkenstein Castle, there are numerous places to eat which are not subject to this restriction, such as the “Gartenhaus” restaurant at the car park, the “Gasthof zum Falken” below the castle in the Selke Valley, the “Leinemühle” at Pansfelde or the “Schloss Meisdorf” park hotel.

Further information on the castle inn can be found here

Falkenstein Castle is on the “Romanesque Route” (Straße der Romanik), one of Germany’s most popular tourist routes. The Romanesque sections include the circular ramparts, the keep, the gates and the vaulted cellars with Romanesque flues. With its history going back almost 900 years, the castle also combines other elements from Gothic, Renaissance, baroque and historicist architecture.

Further information on the Romanesque Route can be found here

Seating is provided on the castle grounds and in individual exhibition rooms.

Civil and church weddings may be held at Falkenstein Castle.

More information can be found here