A surprise visit this one was. After spending the Easter weekend in Weimar, I noticed I had to pass Eisenach to drive back to Holland. And my way-too-big-to-be-handy Germany road map showed "Wartburg Castle" next to Eisenach and the motorway. So I just had to take the chance. I always enjoy the anticipation that is involved in visiting sites unprepared. Will I be able to find it? I hope it isn't closed today! What's the story behind this site anyway?

The castle is well-signposted in Eisenach, even in Japanese! As castles go (and monasteries), Wartburg is located strategically on the top of a hill. According to reports I've read, the view from here on the surrounding countryside must be marvellous. However, the weather was so misty that morning that I didn't see the castle until I arrived at its bridge.

The castle has a quite unusual shape, a bit bulky. With a guided tour I visited its interior (I even had to queue to gain entrance, this is a really popular sight). In some rooms, only the Romanesque design can be admired (the 12th and 13th-century ones), others are brilliantly decorated (the ones that date from the 19th and 20th centuries). I finished my well-spent morning with a local Thüringer Bratwurst, providing more than enough calories to burn during the six-hour drive home.