Schlossfest Jagdschloss Granitz

A Castle in the Forest, Once a Year in Full Splendor

In the middle of the wooded Granitz, an end moraine hill between the Baltic seaside resorts of Binz and Sellin, stands Jagdschloss Granitz: built in 1884 for Prince zu Putbus, in the style of a neo-Gothic fairy-tale castle, crowned by a cast-iron observation tower whose 154-step spiral staircase is one of Rügen's most impressive structures. While the castle can be visited year-round, at the end of July it becomes the stage for one of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's best-known medieval markets for three days: the Schlossfest Granitz.

What Awaits You

Over 100 market participants line the paths around the castle: blacksmiths, bow makers, potters, candle makers, leather workers, and carpenters showcase their crafts. In between, jugglers like Lupus the Juggler and Chibraxa the Market Widow move from stall to stall, music groups like the minstrels of Satolstelamanderfanz play on old instruments, and a Viking encampment stages combat demonstrations with swords, shields, and plenty of theatrics. For the little ones, there are ten hands-on stations – from archery and pottery to boat building and weaving – making the festival a particularly child-friendly event. About a quarter of the visitors are children.

What There Is to Eat and Drink

The catering is rustic and thematically appropriate: a wood-fired bakery produces bread and flatbreads on-site, a pea soup stand provides warmth on cool mornings, alongside crêpes, nut roasters, waffle stands, and Baumkuchen cooked over an open fire. Drinks range from regionally brewed beer and mead (Met) to apple juice for the children. Important to know: Only cash is accepted at the festival – no cards, no smartphone payments.

The Castle as an Additional Experience

The entrance fee includes a visit to the castle – including the ascent via the famous spiral staircase to the observation tower. From there, you can see the entire Mönchgut peninsula, the Bodden landscape, the Baltic coast, and on clear days, as far as Hiddensee. The staircase tower alone justifies the journey for many; in combination with the Schlossfest, you have an impressive weekend program.

Where You Are – and How It Fits In

Jagdschloss Granitz stands on Tempelberg, the highest point of the Mönchgut-Granitz peninsula, administratively part of the municipality of Lancken-Granitz (Vorpommern-Rügen district). The Baltic seaside resorts of Binz, Sellin, and Göhren are each about 5 km away and are the typical places to stay for a Schlossfest visit. From Binz or Sellin Ost train station, the 'Rasender Roland', a narrow-gauge steam train, runs nearby – if you want to combine your festival weekend with a classic Rügen experience, take the Roland.