Lichtenegger Burgfestspiele — Der Mühlhiasl
Open-air play at the Lichteneck castle ruins in the Bavarian Forest
About Lichtenegger Burgfestspiele
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40 Years of Open-Air Theater
The Lichtenegger Bund e.V. was founded in 1985 and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2025. Honorary member Walter Kolbeck was appointed honorary chairman on the occasion of the anniversary. Director Johannes Reitmeier, who has shaped the Lichtenegger productions for decades, is a renowned figure in the Bavarian theater scene: he recently received the Schauer Kulturpreis and was honored for directing an opera in Toulouse. The Lichtenegger Burgfestspiele are not an amateur theater in the traditional sense, but a large-scale semi-professional production with high aesthetic standards.
Lichteneck Castle Ruins as a Venue
The Lichteneck castle ruins are located on a wooded hill above Rimbach, a small community in the Cham district (Bavarian Forest). The medieval castle was built in the 12th century and destroyed during the Thirty Years' War. Today, the curtain walls, the base of the keep, and some remains of the residential buildings are preserved — an unusually atmospheric natural backdrop for folk theater. The open-air stage was integrated directly into the ruins, with the castle walls serving as a natural backdrop.
Der Mühlhiasl — The Fortune-Teller of the Bavarian Forest
The 2026 production is once again dedicated to Mühlhiasl (1753–1825), one of the most famous figures in Bavarian folk culture. Mühlhiasl, whose real name was Mathias Lang, was a miller's journeyman from Erlach near Apoig, who was credited with clairvoyant gifts according to legend. His prophecies — about railways, major wars, technological developments — are still part of oral tradition in the Bavarian Forest today. The play is a folk theater journey through his life, his visions, and his social conflicts with the authorities and the church.
Seven Performance Dates, All Sold Out
The 2026 season includes seven performances: Premiere on Saturday, July 11, followed by performances on July 17, 18, 24, 25, 31, and August 1. All performances begin at 8:30 PM, with admission to the castle moat starting at 7:00 PM with catering. The walk from the parking lot to the castle ruins takes 15–20 minutes — a pleasant stroll through the forest that sets the evening's atmosphere. All 2026 performances are already completely sold out. For those who can't get tickets in 2026: Der Mühlhiasl will be back on the program in 2027.
Rimbach and the Bavarian Forest
Rimbach is a small municipality in the southern Cham district, nestled between Hohenbogen and Kaitersberg. The Bavarian Forest is one of the oldest and largest contiguous forest areas in Central Europe. Visitors to the castle festival should combine their trip with a hike on the Hohenbogen, a tour to the neighboring glass village Weinfurtner, or a visit to the Bavarian Forest Wildlife Park Lohberg.
Lichtenegger Burgfestspiele — edition 2026
The 2026 season is once again dedicated to Mühlhiasl (1753–1825), the legendary fortune-teller of the Bavarian Forest. The renowned Johannes Reitmeier, recently honored with the Schauer Kulturpreis and recognized for his opera direction in Toulouse, is directing.
Seven performances are scheduled between mid-July and early August. All shows start at 8:30 PM, with admission to the castle moat from 7:00 PM. A shuttle service from the parking lot to the castle ruins runs every 10-15 minutes for visitors with mobility impairments. All 7 performances in 2026 are already completely sold out — further confirmation of the exceptional reputation of the Lichtenegger Burgfestspiele.
Programme Lichtenegger Burgfestspiele 2026
Lichtenegger Burgfestspiele 2026 — "Der Mühlhiasl" Schedule
Performance Dates
- Saturday, July 11, 2026 — Premiere, 8:30 PM
- Friday, July 17, 2026, 8:30 PM
- Saturday, July 18, 2026, 8:30 PM
- Friday, July 24, 2026, 8:30 PM
- Saturday, July 25, 2026, 8:30 PM
- Friday, July 31, 2026, 8:30 PM
- Saturday, August 1, 2026, 8:30 PM
Schedule of Each Performance
- 7:00 PM — Admission to the castle moat with catering (drinks, snacks)
- Ascent to the castle ruins (15-20 minute walk, marked), shuttle service for visitors with mobility impairments
- 8:30 PM — Start of the performance on the open-air stage in the castle ruins
- Afterwards, descent and winding down in the castle moat
Content — Der Mühlhiasl
The life story of the Bavarian fortune-teller Mathias Lang (1753–1825), known as "Mühlhiasl," a miller's journeyman from Erlach in the Bavarian Forest, who was credited with clairvoyant gifts. The play stages his prophecies, his conflicts with authorities and the church, and his unbroken popularity as a folk theater journey through the Bavarian Forest of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Direction: Johannes Reitmeier. Production: Lichtenegger Bund e.V. Detailed program and return tickets at libu.de/aktuelles/spieltermine. Der Mühlhiasl will be back on the program in 2027.
Highlights Lichtenegger Burgfestspiele 2026
Prices Lichtenegger Burgfestspiele 2026
Practical information — Lichtenegger Burgfestspiele
Getting There
Rimbach is located in the Cham district, approx. 60 km east of Regensburg and 130 km northeast of Munich. By car via the A3 (exit Straubing or Cham), then B85 to Cham and continue to Rimbach. GPS address: Rimbach — Pelkovenstraße. From the parking lot to the castle ruins is a 15-20 minute walk through the forest (marked). Shuttle service every 10-15 minutes for visitors with mobility impairments and seniors.
Tickets
Adults €22, children under 14 years €10. Students, severely disabled persons, and holders of the volunteer service card receive a €2 discount (present ID). Groups of 20 or more tickets per date: €20 per ticket. All 2026 performances sold out — return tickets may be available via the libu.de shop. Tickets for 2027 expected from spring 2027.
Tips
Sturdy footwear for the walk through the forest. Warm clothing — even in midsummer, it cools down at the castle after sunset. Picnic blankets or seat cushions are recommended for the stone seats on the open-air stage. In case of rain, performances will be postponed — short-term information on libu.de.
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Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Lichtenegger Burgfestspiele al mejor precio.
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Where it takes place Lichtenegger Burgfestspiele
Burgruine Lichteneck — Freilichtbühne
Burgruine Lichteneck bei Rimbach, 93485 Rimbach