BURG FRANKENSTEIN: Discover the castle linked to Halloween horrors, Mary Shelley and a dragon slayer
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Unlock the secrets of a castle that brings to life a treasure trove of legends, mysteries and Halloween horrors that will surprise you!
Burg Frankenstein is an intriguing destination.
Although it may not be the biggest or most picturesque castle Germany has to offer, what makes it an exciting place to visit is its plethora of mesmerising myths, its charming surroundings and of course - its gothic horror appeal.
Situated on the foothills of Langenberg near Darmstadt in western Germany, the castle is thought to have been built around 1240. The first time it was mentioned was 12 years later when it was documented as the seat of the lords von Frankenstein.
The noble von Frankenstein lineage began with the marriage of Konrad II Reiz von Breuberg and his wife Elisabeth von Weiterstadt. They were a successful family whose power and influence grew steadily over the next few hundred years. During the 15th and 17th centuries, in particular, the family were able to further build and extend the castle.
Burg Frankenstein inner entrance and chapel
Beaten down but not in battle
However, after the Barons von Frankenstein sold the castle to Count Ludwig VI in 1662, it fell into disrepair. Uninterested in keeping up the necessary maintenance and repairs to the castle buildings, the new owner let the rain pour through damaged roofs and left the timberwork to rot.
It was during this period, in 1673, that the infamous alchemist Johann Konrad Dippel was born, who would later become connected as the possible inspiration to Mary Shelley’s gothic horror “Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus”.
But this hotly debated connection is not all that it seems - read on to find out why!
By the 18th century, the castle had mostly become a ruin, despite never having been in battle. It was used only as a makeshift hospital for soldiers wounded in the war against Louis XIV.
On top of that, a rumour broke out that there were vast treasures of gold, silver and wine hidden in passageways beneath the castle.
Fool’s goldrush
It may come as no surprise that this led to a gold rush, which repeated itself three times over the last half of the 18th century. At one time, the treasure hunters were even fueled by the predictions of a crystal ball-reading fortune teller.
They excavated a chaotic mess of holes, shafts and tunnels, which resulted in two deaths, more damage to the castle and zero treasure. Finally, any further excavations were forbidden.
Head up the steps to enter the Kernburg
Rebuilt to a new vision
Then, after the castle administrator’s wife stripped the central castle of whatever she could sell, including the roof tiles, wooden staircase and stone walls, you might think the castle’s life was over.
But Burg Frankenstein got a fresh lease of life in the mid-19th century.
Grand Duke Ludwig III came to the rescue. He had a vision to restore the castle, but since no one remembered what it looked like originally, he restored it as he saw fit. It wasn’t historically accurate, but it was still an improvement.
A beautiful sunrise behind the chapel
It was further developed over the last century and when the new restaurant with its panoramic viewing terrace opened in the 1970s, it secured its popularity.
A few years later, the local US soldiers stationed nearby kicked off the Halloween festival at the castle. The link to the horror cult of the movie “Frankenstein” and the gothic novel that inspired it have certainly played their part in making the Burg Frankenstein Halloween festival the biggest horror fest in Germany - and well worth a visit, if you dare!
Why visit Burg Frankenstein
Mary Shelley’s hotly debated Frankenstein connection
Over the past few decades, various theories have emerged about Mary Shelley being directly influenced by gruesome tales about the castle and its infamous corpse-stitching, mad scientist hell-bent on bringing the dead back to life in the creation of her main protagonist, Victor Frankenstein.
The big question is - how is Mary Shelley’s iconic Gothic novel “Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus” connected to Burg Frankenstein?
The answer is controversial.
Portrait of Mary Shelley (1797-1851) by Richard Rothwell (section)
Enter the Brothers Grimm
It all begins with a theory which claims that while the Brothers Grimm were collecting local folk and fairy tales in the villages surrounding the castle, they encountered a shocking horror story of a scientist, theologian and doctor, named Johann Konrad Dippel, who had made a pact with the devil.
An alleged practitioner of witchcraft and alchemy, he was not only accused of using his dark arts to attempt to make gold for the Counts of the state of Hessen, but he was also using the dead body parts and blood of virgins to attempt to create new life.
The Grimms then allegedly sent a copy of this incredible story to Mary Clairmont in England, who is said to have shared it with her stepdaughter, Mary Shelley, since she adored literature of the dark and mysterious kind.
A few years later, Mary travelled through Germany with her husband, the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Some have claimed that she visited Burg Frankenstein, or at least saw it in the distance while they were staying in nearby Gernsheim, and heard plenty more about Dippel’s evil antics during her stay.
Aerial view of Burg Frankenstein via Darmstadt-Dieburg Entdecken
Then, another two years after their travels through the Rhine regions, Mary, Percy, her stepsister Claire Clairmont, Lord Byron and their doctor John Polidori, were holidaying in Geneva. One night, they sat down to tell each other ghost stories.
It was on this fateful night that Mary Shelley began her first draft of her gothic masterpiece “Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus”, supposedly still inspired by her visit.
The plot thickens - but not without holes
The trouble is that although this theory is fabulous, the theories and evidence it’s based on are riddled with holes - much like the haphazard gold-digging of the castle itself.
No letter from the Grimms to Mary Clairmont has ever been found, despite the many efforts researchers have made to hunt it down.
And although the Shelleys did stay 15km away in Gernsheim, her diaries only noted her regret that despite the mountainous area being picturesque*,* they didn’t have time to “indulge in extraneous rambles.”
So, there is sadly no chance that she visited Burg Frankenstein, or even saw it. For this reason, historians have denounced the idea of any connection between the castle and Mary Shelley.
But that’s not the end of it!
The story gets a lot more intriguing when we look more closely at the ‘sinister scientist’.
Diabolical Dippel - the motif for Victor Frankenstein?
As for Johann Konrad Dippel, the so-called mad scientist who allegedly serves as the historical basis for Victor Frankenstein, there’s a lot to unpack.
Did hearing about Johann Konrad Dippel inspire Mary Shelley to write her main protagonist Victor Frankenstein?
Dippel was indeed born at Burg Frankenstein in 1673, but since he wasn’t related to the family, he was not a “von Frankenstein”. He was no graverobber nor corpse-reanimator, however, he was a pretty controversial character and a rebellious alchemist.
Alchemy is chiefly known as the scientific pursuit to turn lead into gold, but it goes beyond that. It was also a philosophy asking meaningful questions about the nature of existence:
Can life be created from lifeless matter?
Is it possible to transform natural substances?
And can the knowledge of nature be a path to spiritual transformation?
Alchemy was outlawed as a criminal activity because it stood in direct opposition to both the financial sovereignty of kings and queens, as well as the religious authority of the church. Many even regarded it with superstition and associated witchcraft and devil worship.
Dippel made no efforts to hide his alchemical practices and chemistry experiments, even declaring publicly that alchemy should not have to be confined to secrecy.
On top of that, he spoke out openly against the church. He promoted the almost heretical idea that enlightenment should be found within the self and within the freedom of the individual, not in religious doctrine.
He also believed that the self could be redeemed through the transformative power of reincarnation, not through the suffering of Christ to atone for humanity’s original sin.
Despite his radical views, he was still well-regarded in some circles of high society. He was employed as a teacher to young nobles, and when he was imprisoned for slander, the queen of Denmark issued him with a pardon and set him free.
But with such a divisive and proud character doing “devil’s work”, it’s not hard to imagine how the rumours about him spread, especially among the local populace. They believed that he was a “Hexenmeister” - a master sorcerer, who had made a pact with the devil.
“Der Hexenmeister” by Carl Spitzweg (ca. 1880) via Wikimedia
Gossip about his experiments only fuelled the idea that he was conjuring up dark magic. He is believed to have experimented on cadavers, and in his writings, he mentions the idea of using a kind of funnel to transfer a soul from one corpse to another.
He also distilled animal bones and flesh from which he claimed he had found a “universal life elixir”, and even discussed the possibility of using this elixir to exorcise demons. Named “Dippel’s Aetheric Animal Oil”, his tonic was available in pharmacies until the 19th century. It was prescribed as a medicinal treatment for epilepsy, though its effectiveness was later debunked.
“The Alchemist” by Joseph Wright (section) via Wikimedia
An occult, binding thread
Although no evidence has been found that positions Dippel as a cookie-cutter template for Mary Shelley’s protagonist Victor Frankenstein, there is still an intriguing convergence at play.
Shelley may not have visited the castle, nor read a letter from the Brothers Grimm which has never been found. However, the ideas explored within the metaphysical aspects of alchemy were not unknown to her.
Mary's father, the philosopher William Godwin, acted as her literary agent and shared similar beliefs on alchemy and natural sciences, with Mary, alongside liberal, anti-dogmatic ideologies.
In addition, Godwin himself wrote a novel named St. Leon in which the main protagonist dabbles in alchemy and acquires the secret elixir of immortality as a gift.
Given Godwin's and his daughter’s keen interest in alchemy, it is conceivable that they would have been familiar with the renowned mystic, alchemist, and theosophist Jacob Böhme. Böhme’s influential works greatly impacted Dippel.
So even if Mary had never set foot in the castle nor heard of Dippel, the ethereal thread that still binds them is alchemy.
Illustration from The Works of Jacob Boehme by Dionysius Andreas Fehrer via Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Burg Frankenstein may not be the birthplace of a monster made of stitched-up body parts and brought to life by a mad scientist named Victor Frankenstein.
But the connection between Mary Shelley and Johann Konrad Dippel via the mysterious beliefs and practices of alchemy is compelling, intricate - and much more interesting.
Besides, the name “Frankenstein” for her novel must have come from somewhere. “Dippel; or The Modern Prometheus” doesn’t sound quite as exciting, does it?
I wouldn’t read it 😜.
Halloween at Burg Frankenstein
Horrors to frighten and delight
When it comes to celebrating Halloween, who really cares whether there’s a confirmed connection between Shelley and Burg Frankenstein or not?!
The iconic tale of Frankenstein’s monster has captured people’s imaginations and fused it with the castle regardless. Every year since 1977, the towers and ruins have been transformed into the biggest fright-fest in Germany.
For two spooky weeks around Halloween, the event welcomes horror lovers from across the world for an unforgettable show with terrifying costumes and mind-bending performances.
Check out the trailer from 2022:
Some say that you might even witness the restless spirit of Johann Konrad Dippel, as he wreaks havoc between the chapel and gunpowder tower.
Legends tell that you’ll spot him sitting on the chapel roof with chattering bones, howling in vain because he can’t find the caved-in entrance to his laboratory, where he was rumoured to have conducted his corpse experiments.
Find out more and get tickets at frankenstein-halloween.de
If you’re hungry for something a bit more intimate, the restaurant at Burg Frankenstein annually offers a Frankenstein-themed dinner show - a chilling comedy (in German) served with 4 courses.
Book tickets for the “Gruseldinner” here.
What to do at Burg Frankenstein
Walk the path of a dragon slayer
Even outside of the spooky season, there’s plenty to explore at Burg Frankenstein.
If you love a walk in nature as much as I do, the interactive Forest Experience Trail (Walderlebnispfad), is more than merely beautiful.
What’s unique about this trail are its 22 interactive stops, plus a few extras that deserve a special mention. The stations are designed to engage and bring you closer to nature by exploring through the senses.
Touch, observe, smell, listen, learn and discover along the way through peaceful woodlands rich with wildlife, impressive rock formations and enchanting pools where any fairy or water nymph would feel at home, on this charming adventure for young and old alike.
On top of that, the trail takes you through the lands where the legendary Knight Georg von Frankenstein killed a dragon to protect his beloved Anne-Marie from being devoured.
Knight Georg von Frankenstein and the Dragon
Legends tell that long, long ago...
...in the 16th century, there was a fearsome dragon known as a “Lindwurm” that was terrorising the village of Nieder-Beerbach below Burg Frankenstein. The monster’s hunger could only be quenched with the flesh of young maidens and the villagers were desperate for help.
At Burg Frankenstein, lived a knight named Georg, who had secretly fallen in love with his sweetheart Anne-Marie from the village. The knight had promised to help the villagers and rid them of their curse, but as soon as he heard that his beloved was to be sacrificed to the dragon, he took to arms.
In his armour, he rode out and found the lindworm, basking in the sun. Georg dismounted his horse and attacked the beast with his sword. The fight was long and gruelling, for the dragon was quick and vicious. It spewed steam and spat fire, but the knight persevered and didn’t stop until he finally landed a killing blow.
Yet his victory turned bitter. With the last of its strength, the dragon’s tail lashed out and pierced the knight’s leg, injecting its deadly poison. Leaving the vanquished monster behind, Georg staggered back to his castle home, but his wounds were too severe and he passed away three days later.
Georg von Frankenstein’s gravestone marking his death in 1531 can still be seen at the church graveyard in Nieder-Beerbach.
Mysterious magnetic rocks
A short diversion off the Forest Experience Trail takes you to an area known as the Ilbes Berg. Here you’ll find large formations of rock scattered around.
The bizarre thing about these rocks is that many of them are magnetic - and no one knows why! Some say that the rocks were struck by lightning at an unknown point in the past.
But according to local folklore, it was the work of witches that gave the stones their magnetic power. The Ilbes Berg was renowned in history as the second-greatest gathering place for witch cults in Germany, after the Brocken peak in the northern state of Saxony-Anhalt.
Perhaps it was the ancient practices of witchcraft that gave these rocks their unusual powers.
In any case, they are fun to climb on!
Explore the nearby Magnetsteine
How to get to Burg Frankenstein
Burg Frankenstein has become a well-loved destination for day-trippers, hikers and cyclists exploring the castle and surrounding forest trails.
Whether you come for an interactive nature trail in spring or summer or for the spooky Halloween thrills in late autumn, Burg Frankenstein has plenty to offer for a fun day or night out.
With a charming restaurant with incredible views, this lovely destination is brought to life by its fascinating legends, alongside music events and entertainment throughout the year.
View of the Kernburg
By car
From Darmstadt, take the B3 / B426 towards Mühltal. Turn right onto Josephsweg and follow the winding road uphill until you see the sign to the car park on your left. At the far end of the car park, you’ll see a sign pointing towards the castle. Head through the opening of the tree line on the path, down the steps and turn right onto the street leading to the castle gate.
By tram & on foot
From Malchen:
From Darmstadt, take tram number 6 or 8 (Seeheim-Jugenheim-Malchen) and get off in the small town of Malchen. From the tram stop, turn into the Frankensteiner Straße and take the last turn on the left before the cul-de-sac. Follow this road until you reach the edge of the woods, where the trail to Burg Frankenstein begins. The way is signposted with two horizontal lines, like an “=” symbol.
The ascent to the castle is steep in places, so it is advised to be at a good level of fitness for hiking and to wear comfortable walking shoes/boots.
The duration of the ascent is approximately 30-40 minutes.
Where to eat at Burg Frankenstein
Kiosk & Restaurant
To grab a hot or cold drink, an ice lolly or a pretzel, the kiosk opens from 11 am.
If you arrive before or have brought a picnic, there is seating available in the outer castle grounds, which are open from dawn until dusk. Toilets are open and free of charge.
For something a bit more substantial, the “Restaurant Burg Frankenstein” opens at 12 pm.
Spectacular view from the terrace via Frankenstein Restaurant
It serves traditional German dishes like Wiener Schnitzel (pork escalope) or Rump steak, local favourites like Eggs with Frankfurter Green Sauce (a delicious cream sauce with a special blend of fresh herbs), but also smaller dishes like cheese and/or cooked meat platters. Vegan options are a little limited but their “Vitamin Salad” is big and scrumptious.
Prices are reasonable, ranging from 11€ - 25€ for mains.
The food quality and freshness are great – this is a proper restaurant with a full kitchen, not a touristy café like you might expect.
It’s popular with hungry hikers and bikers, especially at lunchtime, so booking is advised! Book a table online here.
