Burghausen Castle

The hill above Burghausen was fortified at least as early as the 10th century, when the site is first mentioned in documents (1025 AD). The Wittelsbach dynasty, who would go on to rule Bavaria for seven centuries, made Burghausen their ducal treasury and secondary residence in 1255 — the year that marks the beginning of the castle's transformation from a simple hilltop fort into a complex of successive courtyards and towers.

The most significant period of construction came under Duke George the Rich (Georg der Reiche) of Bavaria-Landshut, who ruled from 1479 to 1503. The 'Reiche' in his name referred to his legendary wealth, and he spent it on Burghausen — extending the castle to its present extraordinary length, adding towers, rebuilding the main keep, and creating the sequence of six courtyards that makes the complex unique. The castle served its purpose as a treasury for the valuables of the Duchy, including the famous Landshut ducal treasure, kept here safe from attack.

Following the Landshut War of Succession (1503–1505), Burghausen passed under unified Bavarian rule and gradually lost its strategic importance. By the 19th century, when Romantic-era travellers and artists began to rediscover Germany's medieval heritage, Burghausen attracted painters and writers for the same reason it attracts photographers today: the castle reflected in the Wöhrsee below, the ridge stretched against the horizon, and the Austrian Alps in the distance compose a view that has changed almost nothing in five hundred years.

Getting there: Burghausen is approximately 90 kilometres east of Munich, on the Bavarian-Austrian border. By car from Munich, take the A94 motorway east toward Passau, then south on the B20 to Burghausen — about 1.5 hours. By public transport, take the train from Munich Hauptbahnhof to Burghausen via Mühldorf (about 1.5–2 hours depending on connections); the castle is a 30-minute walk uphill from the station, or a short taxi ride. The closest larger city is Salzburg in Austria, 60 kilometres to the south.

Approaching the castle: The castle is reached by climbing the hill from Burghausen's old town below. The main entrance is at the southern end; you enter through the first courtyard and work northward or vice versa. The outer courtyards are free to enter and open at all times — you pay only to enter the main keep and State Gallery at the southern tip. The full walk from the entrance gate to the northernmost courtyard and back takes about 90 minutes at a relaxed pace.

What to see: The main keep houses the State Gallery (Staatsgalerie), with late Gothic paintings — allow 30–45 minutes here. The ducal apartments give a sense of life in a medieval Bavarian court. From the towers, the panorama of the Salzach valley, the Wöhrsee, and the Austrian mountains is the finest view in this part of Bavaria. If you are visiting in June, check the Burghausen Jazz Festival schedule — concerts sell out months in advance.