Children's Castle Festival at Ebersburg

A Castle Ruin in the Karst Region

The Ebersburg sits enthroned on a wooded mountain spur south of the Karst Hiking Trail between Herrmannsacker and Stempeda – parts of the Harztor municipality in the Nordhausen district. First documented in the 12th century, it was the seat of the Counts of Ebersberg. Today, only the keep, remnants of walls, and the main castle plateau remain, along with a spacious meadow that becomes the festival grounds each year.

Living Middle Ages for Children

The Children's Castle Festival is specifically aimed at families with preschool and primary school-aged children. The association for living Middle Ages (Verein für lebendiges Mittelalter e.V.) transforms the castle into a medieval experience camp for two days: children can try archery with special practice bows, engage in wooden sword fights, participate in sack races and egg-and-spoon races, or watch the craftspeople at work – blacksmithing, felting, and bow making.

Medieval Food and Drinks

At the catering stands, you'll find rustic, child-friendly food: stick bread cooked over an open fire, hearty stew from the cauldron, honey slices, and sweet mead lemonade. Adults can sample regional apple wine and mead.

The Southern Harz as a Cultural Landscape

The Ebersburg castle ruins are located in the heart of the Karst Hiking Trail Geopark, one of the most impressive karst landscapes in Central Europe. Families can combine their visit with a hike – to the Heimkehle near Uftrungen, to the Stempelmagnet, or through the karst landscape with its sinkholes and caves. The region is part of the Southern Harz Karst Landscape Biosphere Reserve.

Volunteering and Preservation

The festival is not just for entertainment: entrance donations go towards the preservation of the castle complex. The association for living Middle Ages maintains the ruins, secures the walls, and makes them accessible to hikers and school classes. Visitors directly support the protection of this historic site in the Nordhausen district.