Schloss Thurnau, Medieval castle in Thurnau, Germany
Schloss Thurnau is a castle complex in Thurnau, Bavaria, made up of several interconnected buildings from different centuries. The grounds include residential quarters, service buildings, and study spaces arranged around courtyards and garden areas.
The castle was founded in 1239 by the Förtsch family and passed to the Giech and Künsberg noble houses in 1566 when that lineage died out. Over the following centuries, the buildings were altered and extended, giving the complex its current layered appearance.
Schloss Thurnau houses research centers of the University of Bayreuth, focused on music theater and regional history. Walking through the complex, visitors can see signs of active academic life alongside the old noble rooms and courtyards.
The complex offers guest accommodations as well as rooms for events and conferences, so it can be visited at different times of year. Walking through the grounds is the best way to take in the different buildings and notice how they contrast with each other.
The courtyard fountain is decorated in a rococo style with swan motifs that hint at the castle's noble past. One of the buildings is nicknamed the Stork Building because its supports are said to look like stork legs.
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