Mespelbrunn Castle

Mespelbrunn Castle lies in a secluded side valley of the Elsava in the Spessart hills between Aschaffenburg and Würzburg, its round tower and stepped gables reflected in the pond. It has belonged to the same family since the early 15th century, and they still live in the south wing. With 90,000 to 100,000 visitors a year it is one of Germany's best-known moated castles, and the guided tour shows rooms furnished over generations.

History: the Echters of Mespelbrunn

On 1 May 1412 Archbishop Johann II of Mainz gave his forester Hamann Echter an abandoned farmstead called "Espelborn". The family took the name Echter von Mespelbrunn and built a fortified house with a moat and keep. From 1551 Peter III Echter and his wife Gertrud von Adelsheim enlarged it in Renaissance style; reliefs and a house motto above the stair portal in the courtyard recall the couple.

Their son Julius Echter, born at Mespelbrunn in 1545, became Prince-Bishop of Würzburg in 1573. He founded the Juliusspital hospital in 1576 and the University of Würzburg in 1583. Through marriage the castle passed in 1658 to the von Ingelheim family, who have called themselves "von Ingelheim genannt Echter von und zu Mespelbrunn" ever since and still own it.

How the fairy-tale view came about

Its famous appearance is due to a 19th-century change: around 1840 the west wing facing the pond, which had given the castle a closed, defensive look, was demolished. Since then the courtyard opens onto the water through an arch with a tracery gallery. Hidden in its valley, the castle came through the Second World War unscathed. In 1957 the film "Das Wirtshaus im Spessart" starring Liselotte Pulver was shot here.

What to see

• The pond view: round tower, chapel tower and oriel above the water, the classic photo.
• Courtyard: Renaissance portal, loggia and the reliefs of Peter Echter and Gertrud von Adelsheim.
• North wing: its rooms have been partly open to visitors since the early 1920s. Many were refurnished in historicist style around 1904 under Count Philipp Rudolf von Ingelheim.
• Park: since 2020 a formerly private part of the park is also accessible.

Tours and prices (as of October 2026)

• Season: 28 March to 9 November 2026, then closed for winter.
• Hours: 9:30–17:00, last entry around 16:30.
• Visits: guided tour only, lasting 35–40 minutes. On weekdays two tours start per hour, at weekends three to four.
• Admission incl. tour: adults €7, pupils and students €3.50, children under 6 free.
• Payment: cards are not accepted, so bring cash.

Getting there and tips

By car take the A3, exit Rohrbrunn or Weibersbrunn, then the B8 towards Aschaffenburg and drive through Mespelbrunn to the Schlossallee. Parking costs €3, coins only, and closes at 18:00. There are no toilets in the castle; they are at the car park. Dogs cannot join the tour, but there is a tie-up station near the ticket desk. Come on a weekday if you can, as weekends get busy. You cannot stay on the grounds outside the tour, but the castle café has a beer garden. The pilgrimage church of Hessenthal, burial place of the Echters, is close by.