Drachenstich Festspiele

Folk Play Since 1590 — UNESCO Cultural Heritage

Few theatre events in Germany have such a long, unbroken tradition as the Drachenstich in Furth im Wald. Since 1590, the residents of this border town in the Upper Palatinate region of the Czech Republic have been performing the legend of the dragon, defeated by the heroic pair Hans and Ulrich — embedded in the historical narrative of the Hussite Wars. This makes the Drachenstich the oldest folk play in Germany and it has been recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of Bavaria.

Tradinno — The World's Largest Walking Robot

What sets the Drachenstich apart from other festivals is the technical marvel at the center of the performance: Tradinno ('Tradition meets Innovation'), the mechanical dragon, is 16 meters long, 5 meters high, and weighs 11 tons. With its four independent legs, it is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the 'world's largest four-legged walking robot'. Tradinno breathes real fire, bleeds red theatre fluid, and reacts to its human opponents — controlled by a team of several animators.

350 Amateur Actors from the Town

The play is brought to life by around 350 amateur actors from Furth im Wald and the surrounding region. In addition, well over a thousand participants take part in the grand Historical Procession on the second festival Sunday (2026: August 9, 2 PM), during which the entire town transforms into a 15th-century scene: knights, mercenaries, minstrels, market women, and the King of Bohemia parade through the city center. Furth im Wald is thus considered one of the largest contiguous re-enactment cityscapes in Central Europe.

Drachenstich Arena, Cave Gladium, and Folk Festival

The Drachenstich is performed in the specially constructed Drachenstich Arena — an open-air stage with grandstand seating. In parallel, the old town transforms into Cave Gladium during the festival, a large medieval market with crafts, minstrel troupes, jugglers, and encampments (2026: August 14–16). A classic Volksfest (folk festival) with a festival tent and amusement rides accompanies the play (2026: August 8–17) — the children's Drachenstich takes place on August 15 and 16 at 1:30 PM each day.

Furth im Wald on the Border of the Bohemian Forest

Furth im Wald is located in the Cham district in the northern Upper Palatinate, directly at the Furth/Folmava border crossing to the Czech Republic and on the edge of the Bohemian Forest. The town sees itself as the 'Drachenstich Town' — it is dedicated to preserving its folk play tradition as its trademark. A visit can be ideally combined with a hike in the Bavarian Forest or a day trip to Domažlice in the Czech Republic.