Burg Harburg

About the museum

The Harburg towers on a steep rocky spur above the Wörnitz valley on the southeastern edge of the Nördlinger Ries. It is first documented in 1150 as a Hohenstaufen imperial castle, though finds point to even earlier settlement. In 1299 the castle passed as a pledge to the Counts of Oettingen, who expanded it into a territorial fortress in the 15th and 16th centuries. Since 1731 it has belonged to the Oettingen-Wallerstein line.

The complex, consisting of a main castle and an outer bailey, has retained its fortified character to this day. It includes two keeps, one of them the Diebsturm (Thieves' Tower), wall walks, the Fürstenbau (Prince's Building), the Saalbau (hall building) furnished in Baroque style in the 18th century, and the castle church of St. Michael. Under Prince Albrecht Ernst II, parts were made more comfortable to live in. From 1955 to 1957, a tunnel for the federal highway B 25 was dug beneath the castle hill.

From 1948 to 1980, the castle housed the library and art collection of the Princes of Oettingen-Wallerstein, which were later sold to the Free State of Bavaria. Today two important aristocratic archives are kept here. Since 2000, the castle has been owned by the Gemeinnützige Fürst zu Oettingen-Wallerstein Kulturstiftung. The foundation opens the castle for guided tours during the season, presents an exhibition on the painter Rudolf Warnecke in the Fürstenbau, and uses the historic halls for concerts, markets, and celebrations; in 2025, it welcomed nearly 68,000 visitors.

Highlights

• Largely preserved medieval fortifications with wall walks and towers
• Castle church of St. Michael
• Fürstensaal (Princes' Hall) and Tea Room with Renaissance wall paintings
• Warnecke exhibition with more than 150 exhibits
• View over the Wörnitz valley and the town of Harburg

Permanent exhibitions

• Warnecke-Ausstellung – More than 150 exhibits on the painter Rudolf Warnecke (1905–1994), including views of the Romantic Road, tools, printing plates, and his grand piano; another part can be seen in the Weißer Turm (White Tower).

Founded

1150

Operated by

Gemeinnützige Fürst zu Oettingen-Wallerstein Kulturstiftung

Visitors per year

approx. 67,957 (2025)

Admission & discounts

Admission to the castle courtyard (€3.50) is the base price; guided tours are charged extra (a castle tour therefore costs €8.50 in total). Free admission for residents of the town of Harburg and its districts.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Kids’ birthday parties

According to the castle, the regular castle tours are also well suited for children; a dedicated children's tour (60 min.) is available for groups of 15 or more or for families after booking by phone, also as a children's birthday party.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant

Burgschänke Harburg with a restaurant and hotel rooms in the castle.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 180 guests.

Fürstensaal, wedding room (about 20 people), Kaminsalon (Fireplace Salon), Vogelsalon (Bird Salon), Dürnitz, and inner courtyard. Civil weddings in the historic courtroom (mid-May to the end of September), church weddings (Protestant/ecumenical) in the castle church with up to 180 guests.

Plan your visit