The Hospitality Castle

Schloss zu Hopferau – Arguably the oldest castle in Germany, it could tell countless stories: built in 1468 by Knight Sigmund von Freyberg-Eisenberg as a hunting lodge, it was remodeled in 1830 in the Neo-Gothic style by Domenico Quaglio, the master builder of Hohenschwangau Castle.

Passing through the original entrance door, visitors enter a tastefully furnished reception hall. The Romanesque baptismal font from the 12th century is made of local marble from nearby Lake Weißensee. Four sculptures by the sculptor Georg Halbich, a former owner of the castle, adorn the arches of the room.

Also worth seeing is the historic banqueting hall with its continuous, hand-colored wallpaper, produced 218 years ago using the woodblock printing technique. Only three wallpapers of this kind still exist in Europe. The room is furnished with original Ulm Baroque furniture from around 1900, as well as two Italian tiled stoves dating from 1520.

In the magnificent Knights’ Hall, around 100 weddings take place each year. Both the late-Gothic wooden ceiling and the wall paneling date back to the founding years. From here, a small entrance leads to St. Mary’s Chapel, a year-round chapel. The newly redesigned private chapel, featuring a beautiful winged altarpiece, was crafted by local carpenter Dopfer of Hopferau, modeled after the style of Tilman Riemenschneider.

A Castle of Hospitality

As early as the 15th century, the castle’s builder, Knight Sigmund von Freyberg-Eisenberg of Hopferau, was renowned as a gracious host. In the oldest surviving castle of the Ostallgäu region, this tradition continues to this day: the popular “staircase concerts” are held regularly in the stairwell.

In 1946, the first fully automatic and programmable computer by inventor Konrad Zuse was put into operation at Schloss zu Hopferau. Between 1946 and 1949, the castle marked a milestone in history with Konrad Zuse. The inventor of the computer—without which modern life would be unimaginable—lived in Hopferau during these years and commissioned the Z4, the first fully automatic and programmable computer, in the basement of the flour warehouse of the former bakery, now the castle parking area. Today, Konrad Zuse is recognized as the father of the computer.

Art, Culture, and Cuisine at Their Finest

Culture also plays a central role at Schloss zu Hopferau. The regularly held staircase concerts with their varied programs are legendary, as are the culinary events and the Advent market on the first weekend of Advent. Numerous art exhibitions round out the cultural offerings.

We warmly invite you to visit our castle daily from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. We greatly appreciate voluntary donations at the reception desk.

Guided tours for groups of five or more are available between 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. by prior arrangement on site or by phone at +49 8364 984890. The price is €15. We look forward to your visit!