Burg Cadolzburg

Burg Cadolzburg occupies a hilltop site enclosed by a curtain wall featuring two zwingers, which are outer defensive courtyards designed to protect the main castle. Access to the complex is gained through a gatehouse reached by a stone bridge. Flanking the entrance are alliance coats of arms: on the left, a combination of the Brandenburg eagle with Bavarian lozenges; on the right, a composite shield displaying the burgraviate lion, the Zollern shield, and the arms of Saxony. Below the left coat of arms is a Judensau caricature, though its date remains unknown.

Within the inner courtyard lies a grassy area surrounded by several buildings, including an old schoolhouse, the governor’s administrative building, and the so-called Hungerturm, which may have served as a prison. Nearby are a former horse pond and a herb garden cultivated with medieval crops, reflecting the castle’s historical agricultural practices.

The castle’s own entrance features a gatehouse dating from the 15th century. The courtyard is enclosed by the kitchen and the Old Castle on the left, the chapel directly ahead, and the New Castle on the right. The New Castle was originally a 30-meter-long palas, or great hall building, which was renovated in Renaissance style, contrasting with the Romanesque character of the Old Castle. The upper floor of the Old Castle once housed a knights’ hall, and remnants of Gothic windows are visible in the walls of the New Castle.

The chapel’s cellar is the oldest part of the castle, dating to around 1130. Sometimes referred to as the crypt, it contains no burials of the Zollern family. This space now houses a modern golden disk artwork. Behind the chapel lies the Brunnenhof, or well courtyard, featuring the restored castle well.

The kitchen is notable for its “Ochsenschlot,” a broad chimney approximately 15 meters tall that rises above the curtain wall. The kitchen displays medieval pottery and is designed to evoke the aromas of historical cooking. Information boards present medieval recipes, and historical records indicate that the Zollern family consumed up to twenty different dishes daily.

The chapel consists of two floors. The upper floor includes a square opening in the floor, allowing the ruler and family to observe religious services from above. The upper interior was completely destroyed by the 1945 fire, including a stained-glass window donated in 1898 by Emperor Wilhelm II, of which only a single shard remains.

Adjacent to the kitchen on the ground floor is an exhibition detailing the history of the castle and the Hohenzollern family. The upper floor features an interactive family tree, replicas of garments and armor, and an animated presentation depicting a conversation between Albrecht Achilles and Anna of Saxony. Nearby, a latrine exhibit explains medieval toilet customs.

The second and third floors are modern reconstructions. The second floor once housed the oriel hall, which featured a ribbed vault ceiling decorated with a starry sky and family coats of arms. The current ceiling is made of concrete with skeletal vault frameworks, and visitors can view digital reconstructions of the original appearance. Adjacent to the oriel hall is the dance hall, where Renaissance music plays alongside projections of dancing nobles. Part of the battlement walkway is accessible from this floor.

The third floor contains exhibitions on hunting, artillery, alchemy, medieval professions, and leisure activities. It includes a reconstructed noble bedroom furnished with beds for both a noble and a servant, as well as an educational space designed for school groups.

The New Castle is a hollow structure with exterior walls reinforced by concrete. Traces of the original three floors remain visible within the walls. Access to the interior is provided by a metal staircase leading to a viewing platform. Sound installations play music and nature sounds, and a documentary featuring eyewitness accounts of the 1945 fire is shown on the ground floor.