Riedenburg between castles and Jurassic slopes

Castles, town history and architecture

At Prunn Castle, the exhibition tour connects the castle’s history and that of its residents with various aspects of the Nibelungenlied. This brings a theme from literary history into focus alongside Riedenburg’s castles: Prunn Castle is known as the place where an original manuscript of the Nibelungenlied was found.

The Tachenstein ruins preserve remains of the keep around ten metres high. The castle was probably built in the 12th or 13th century and was already mentioned as a ruin in the 16th century. At the ruins, an observation platform offers panoramic views of Riedenburg’s old town and the surrounding Jurassic slopes. The Rabenstein ruins can also be explored more closely on a hike along the Three Castles Trail; they are the oldest castle complex in Riedenburg.

The Catholic parish church of St John the Baptist reveals another aspect of the area’s architectural history. This late Baroque gem features large Baroque windows framed by stucco ornaments. A walk through the historic old town adds a touch of local history: the “Burggraf von Riedenburg” leads visitors through the lanes and shares entertaining and fascinating details about the town’s history.

The Crystal Museum also offers a distinctive way to explore a specific subject. Special guided tours for children introduce them to the world of gemstones. This complements the history of the castles and town with a look at minerals, without limiting your visit to just one area of interest.

Hiking trails and special viewpoints

There are various options for hiking. A scenic circular trail leads from Riedenburg through the “Klamm und Kastlhäng” nature reserve to Prunn Castle. Sure-footedness is required on the section through the gorge. The Altmühltal Panorama Trail, by contrast, passes through the dry gorge near Einthal. The Tachenstein and Rabenstein ruins can also be explored more closely on a hike along the Three Castles Trail.

The Altmühltal Archaeology Park offers insights at 18 stations, from the Neanderthals to the Celts. The well-signposted route can be explored on foot or by bike. Stations 8 to 15 are located within the municipality of Riedenburg. The park thus spans a broad period of time, with stations in several places: Kelheim, Essing, Riedenburg and Dietfurt.

More experiences can be found in the municipality’s districts. In Haidhof, two kilometres from Riedenburg, the AltmühlBob features a summer toboggan run over 1,000 metres long. At Teufelsfelsen in the district of Jachenhausen, visitors can watch hang-glider pilots launch from an eight-metre-long wooden ramp into the Altmühltal when wind conditions are suitable. The ramp is 500 metres above sea level, and the difference in elevation to the valley is about 180 metres.

The wider destination of Kelheim

Riedenburg, together with Kelheim and Essing, lies in the northern part of Kelheim District, which is part of the Altmühltal Nature Park. In Kelheim itself, the “Weltenburger Enge, Hirschberg und Altmühlleiten” nature reserve includes the Danube Gorge. There are eleven hiking trails in the Weltenburger Enge nature reserve. These regional options complement the trails around Riedenburg with another landscape, without combining the places into a single route.

One specific hiking option in the wider destination of Kelheim covers 13 kilometres from Essing to the Danube Gorge: the route passes over the Tatzlwurm, by the Klausen Caves and along the Celtic Wall. The 13-kilometre distance gives you a practical point of reference when planning this hike as part of your stay.

Choose accommodation to suit your stay

With these interests in mind, you can choose the location of a particular accommodation to suit your own daily plans, without having to combine all the experiences into a single itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Bad Abbach, Neustadt an der Donau, Saal an der Donau, Ihrlerstein, Volkenschwand, Aiglsbach, Siegenburg.

See the wider travel overview: Kelheim.