In general, castles and palaces are not my favourite kind of WHS. But Wartburg Castle is an exception. I was there twice: on a foggy winter day in 1990, shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and in the summer of 2009. Both times the atmosphere was different, but whatever the weather the location on a narrow, steep ridge is stunning. And obviously King Ludwig II of Bavaria was also impressed by the Wartburg. There he got a lot of inspiration for his Neuschwanstein Castle.

The Wartburg Castle was never destroyed by war and thus it is a mixture of different architectural styles: Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Historicism. The entrance gate and the half-timbered buildings of the outer bailey are from the 14th and 15th Century, the middle parts are from the mid-19th Century, and the main castle, the Palas, is in the Romanesque style. The entrance to the courtyards is free, but despite the queues a tour of the interior is worthwhile.

The Wartburg was significant for many periods of German history, and references can be seen inside the Palas. Noteworthy is the simply designed Romanesque knight's hall with its cross vault. In 1206, the Wartburg was the scene of the Minnesingers' contest. Although this is a legend, it has a historical background. At that time, the Wartburg was a famous centre for European arts and culture. The Thuringian landgrave Hermann I invited well-known poets and singers to stay at the Wartburg. However, the design of the Singers' Hall is a product of the imagination of the 19th Century. In the 13th Century, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary lived here. Scenes from her life are depicted in the Elizabeth bower, the walls and vault are decorated with colourful mosaics from the early 20th Century. And of course you can visit the sparsely furnished room where Luther translated the New Testament. In 1817, the Wartburg festival took place at the Wartburg Castle, an important event for the student fraternities who fought for a united German state. One of the highlights of the guided tour is the festival hall. Its ornate decoration made it one of the best examples of Historicism. Those who were impressed by the festival hall in the Neuschwanstein Castle can admire the original at the Wartburg.