Blutenburg Castle: Idyllic castle in Munich's Northwest

The Blutenburg castle at a glance

• Significance: The Blutenburg Castle in the west of Munich was first mentioned in 1432 and, along with Grünwald Castle, is the only medieval castle complex to have survived in the immediate vicinity of Munich.
• Location: The former hunting lodge is located in the district of Obermenzing on the river Würm.
• Attractions: the castle church dating from 1488, international youth library, Michael Ende Museum, the castle's own tavern
• Important events: Blutenburg wine festival, Blutenburg Christmas market
• Tip: Walk along the Würm to Pasing
• Getting there: You can get there with the S-bahn to Pasing or Obermenzing, then a bus 143 to Schloss Blutenberg bustop - where the castle is.

Especially worth seeing: The Blutenburg Castle Church

The castle church has been part of the castle since 1488. It was built by Duke Albrecht III in the area of the outer castle.

The medieval building fabric and the late Gothic interior of the former court church can be seen almost completely in their old form. The centerpiece of the church is the mercy seat, which is attributed to the church painter Jan Polack (circa 1435/1450 - 1519) who worked in Bavaria. His panel painting of the main altar with Saints Bartholomew and Sigismund on the closed wings is impressive.

When the three-part altar is open, you can admire images of the Baptism of Christ, the Coronation of Mary and the Holy Trinity. The two side altars have Christ as King and the Annunciation of Mary as their theme. Unknown masters of their time contributed to the chapel the wooden figures of the twelve apostles and the stained glass.

Highlights: Michael Ende Museum, Wine Festival, Christmas Market

•  For friends of Momo or the Neverending Story, there is a Michael Ende Museum in the castle.
• After visiting the castle grounds, church and museum, you can take a rest in the castle's own tavern.
• At the end of May, the Blutenburg Wine Festival, a real insider tip, takes place within the castle grounds.
• At Christmas time, you can experience Blutenburg Castle beautifully illuminated during the traditional Christkindlmarkt.

History of Blutenburg Castle

The castle was first mentioned in a document in 1432. Under Albrecht III, who used the Blutenburg as a hunting lodge, the gate building with its defensive walls, the gate tower and the farm building were constructed. With his son, Duke Sigismund, the important late Gothic castle chapel was added in 1497.

In April 1945, the death march of Dachau concentration camp prisoners passed by the castle. Today, a monument by the sculptor Hubertus von Pilgrim commemorates the victims.

In the 1980s, the complex was thoroughly renovated.

Why the Blutenburg bears its name can no longer be reconstructed in terms of linguistic history: One theory is that the name comes from the old Bavarian word "blueten." Whoever harms himself economically "bluets" - and that's what Duke Albrecht III did when he built the castle.