Kyffhäuser (Kyffhausen Imperial Castle)

Thuringia · Germany · Ruin

Deep inside the Kyffhäuser hills, Emperor Barbarossa is said to sleep at a stone table while his red beard grows through the stone.

The Kyffhäuser hills in northern Thuringia hold the ruins of one of Germany's largest medieval imperial castles – and the country's most famous sleeping hero. According to legend, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa never drowned on the crusade of 1190, but sits sunk in sleep at a stone table deep within the mountain. His red beard has already grown through the tabletop, and every hundred years he wakes to ask whether the ravens still circle the hill – if they do, he sleeps on. Shepherds are said to have found their way into the mountain and met the emperor himself, asking after the ravens in a mournful voice. In the 19th century the legend became a national myth and inspired the colossal monument that now stands by the ruin.

FAQ

Where is Kyffhäuser (Kyffhausen Imperial Castle) located?

Kyffhäuser (Kyffhausen Imperial Castle) is in Thüringen, Germany.

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Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.

Image: Z thomas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons