Wernigerode Castle Festival
Classical festival at the castle above Wernigerode
About Castle Festival Wernigerode
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Fairytale Castle and Symphony
Anyone who sees Wernigerode Castle on a postcard might first think of Disney: Neo-Gothic towers, yellow sandstone facade, high above the half-timbered town in the northeastern Harz Mountains. In fact, the castle is one of the most famous show sites in Saxony-Anhalt — and has been the venue for the Wernigerode Castle Festival since 1996. The Wernigerode Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, conducted by GMD Christian Fitzner, fills the castle, the Liebfrauen Concert Hall, and the Bürgerpark with an ambitious classical program for a whole month in August.
Strolling Through the Castle
The hallmark of the festival is the promenade concerts: Instead of sitting in a rigid concert hall, you, as part of the audience, move through different rooms of the castle, hearing different musical contributions in each room, combined with historical narratives about the castle's history. It's a format that intertwines music, architecture, and art history — and is rarely experienced in this form in Germany.
The 2026 Program
The 30th edition of the festival opens on August 1, 2026, with the traditional FIRST NIGHT — works by Wagner, Bizet, and Schubert with the Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra under Christian Fitzner. This will be followed by opera galas, a film music evening with the Harz Symphony Orchestra, chamber concerts, and children's concerts (“Juri hunts the music ghost,” “We build an orchestra”). The closing event is the LAST NIGHT with the British cellist Natalie Clein as soloist.
In the Harz, in the Harz District
Wernigerode is the capital of the Harz district in the state of Saxony-Anhalt — the gateway to the Brocken, the terminus of the Harz Narrow Gauge Railway, and one of Germany's most beautiful half-timbered towns. The Castle Festival is the city's cultural flagship in the summer and attracts thousands of classical music lovers from Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia every year.
Castle Festival Wernigerode — edition 2026
The 30th edition of the Wernigerode Castle Festival in 2026 is marked by its anniversary. The Wernigerode Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, under GMD Christian Fitzner, performs for a whole August at three main venues: Wernigerode Castle, Liebfrauen Concert Hall, and Wernigerode Bürgerpark. The program combines symphonic concerts with promenade concerts through the castle rooms, opera evenings, a film music special, and a family program.
Programme Castle Festival Wernigerode 2026
Saturday, August 1, 2026 — FIRST NIGHT
- Wernigerode Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra
- GMD Christian Fitzner
- Works by Richard Wagner, Georges Bizet, and Franz Schubert
- Wernigerode Castle (Schlossplatz / Inner Courtyard)
August 2026 — Main Program
- Opera gala with young singers
- Film music concert in cooperation with the Harz Symphony Orchestra
- Promenade concerts through the castle rooms
- Chamber concerts at the Liebfrauen Concert Hall
Family Program
- August 19, 2026 — Children's concert “Juri hunts the music ghost”
- August 26, 2026 — Children's concert “We build an orchestra”
Saturday, August 29, 2026 — LAST NIGHT
- Cellist Natalie Clein (UK) as soloist
- Festive closing concert
Detailed program and set lists as PDF on pkow.de/schlossfestspiele.
Highlights Castle Festival Wernigerode 2026
Prices Castle Festival Wernigerode 2026
Practical information — Castle Festival Wernigerode
Getting There
Wernigerode is located in the Harz Mountains. By train to Wernigerode Hauptbahnhof (regional trains from Halle, Magdeburg, and Hanover). By car via the A36 (exit Wernigerode). To reach the castle, take the Schlossbus (castle bus) or walk (steep ascent, approx. 20 minutes); parking is available in the Bürgerpark.
Tickets
Tickets are available via the official website pkow.de/schlossfestspiele/karten-kaufen and at local ticket offices in Wernigerode. The program booklet is available as a PDF download. Early booking is recommended — especially the promenade concerts and LAST NIGHT often sell out weeks in advance.
On Site
An elegant dress code is recommended for the FIRST NIGHT and LAST NIGHT. Several restaurants and cafés are located in the Bürgerpark and on the castle grounds. Accommodation in Wernigerode is available in numerous hotels, guesthouses, and holiday apartments.
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Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Castle Festival Wernigerode al mejor precio.
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Where it takes place Castle Festival Wernigerode
Schloß Wernigerode, Konzerthaus Liebfrauen, Bürgerpark Wernigerode
Schloß Wernigerode, 38855 Wernigerode