Frankenstein Castle
Only the name of Frankenstein Castle is enough to wake sinister thoughts and fear. This medieval German castle, however, is nothing more than a place where the famous writer Mary Shelley, author of the famous novel, stayed for the night.
While sleeping Mary Shelley dreamt of the Castle Frankenstein which is located near the German city of Darmstadt, which is about half an hour from Frankfurt, in the area of Hesse in Germany.
Fifteen minutes south of the town, a winding road will get you to the mountain, where the towering ruins of the Castle Frankenstein are located. Perched on a picturesque hill, the castle offers a magnificent panorama situated below the plane of the Rhine. Just three miles south of Darmstadt, Frankenstein is shrouded in secrets and mysteries of a medieval lair.
The mountain on which the Castle Frankenstein was erected is called Langenberg. The original castle on this hill was built in the 10th century. However this castle was built in the early 13th century and over the next two centuries were regularly added various parts. In the late 1600’s the Castle Frankenstein, who previously served as a residence, was abandoned and doomed to destruction. For some time it served as a prison, but then was finally abandoned. Today they still have managed to maintain some walls, a tower that is not in very good condition and a chapel, which is said to have been inhabited by ghosts.
Castle Frankenstein was the residence of the Counts of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1662. Writer Mary Shelley decided to use the name of the palace of the famous novel Frankenstein after having traveled through the region and visited the district of Darmstadt and the Castle Hill of which had been an inspiration. In the 16th century, Lord Conrad Dipel von Frankenstein inhabited this legendary castle.
Apparently, the Lord sold his soul to obtain eternal life. Since he is no longer among us, you can imagine how he paid for the transaction. According to one local the history of the Castle Frankenstein is associated with the name of the alchemist of the 18th century - Dr. Johann Conrad Dipel. He was accused of stealing corpses from cemeteries in order to do experiments with them.
Today, Castle Frankenstein is a popular place for walks at the weekend. The steep road up to the palace is great for bikers. At the very Frankenstein has a pleasant restaurant which often hosts weddings. The ruins of the castle are a popular backdrop for many Gothic scenes and photographs.
