Granitz Hunting Castle sits on a hilltop in the Granitz forest, about 9 kilometres from the resort of Binz on Rügen. Built in the mid-19th century for the Putbus princes, it is now a museum of their life and of the furnishings that survived. The main draw is the iron spiral staircase in the central tower, 154 steps up to a view over Binz Bay and the island. Inside, look for the antler furniture, hunting trophies and paintings of the royal family, then walk the forest paths back down.
Built for the Putbus princes
The lodge was built in the mid-19th century by order of Prince Wilhelm Malte I of Putbus, on a hilltop in the Granitz ridge. The princely family used it for hunts and as a setting for formal visits. Day trips to it were popular as early as the 1800s.
Today the building is a museum castle. Its rooms show how the princely family lived, together with some of the original furnishings that have survived.
The architecture and the tower
The building is unusual in style rather than grand in the usual way. Its main block is two storeys high and wraps around a central courtyard. Pink towers with battlements rise above it.
The lodge stands on the 107-metre Tempelberg, and the top of the tower reaches 145 metres above sea level. The tower itself is 38 metres high. Its cast-iron spiral staircase has 154 steps, and the steps are open lattice, so you can see down through them as you climb.
Inside the lodge
The ground-floor rooms hold a large collection of hunting trophies: rows of elk, deer and bighorn sheep skulls and antlers, wild boar tusks, and a large stuffed stag. Some tables and chairs are made from antlers. Chandeliers hang in the rooms, and the walls carry paintings of the royal family who lived there.
For children, the museum offers interactive explanations. One exhibit animates a travel journal that takes the viewer on an imagined trip to Egypt.
Getting there on foot
Many visitors park at the hiking-trail car park and walk up. The route takes about 25 to 30 minutes through farmland and deciduous forest, and walkers may pass animals and a steam train. One visitor put the walk from that car park at about 2 kilometres.
A longer option starts in Binz. A coastal path, the Hochuferweg, runs to Sellin pier, then continues through the forest around Granitz to the Schwarzer See and the lodge. The full loop back to Binz is about 18 kilometres and takes around 5 hours. One visitor suggests cycling up instead of walking.
FAQ
Is there an entry fee?
Yes. One visitor found the fee very reasonable, but this guide does not list the price, so check the official castles website (mv-schloesser.de) before you go.
How many steps are there in the tower?
The cast-iron spiral staircase has 154 steps and rises 38 metres to the top of the tower.
Is the tower climb difficult?
One visitor found it less tiring than expected. The steps are see-through, so people who are afraid of heights may find the climb hard.
Is the castle wheelchair accessible?
The entrance is wheelchair accessible. The tower is reached by its spiral staircase.
