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The Plague Dance and the Dragon who Brought it to Munich

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Once, a plague ridden Lindworm was said to crawl out from the darkness, and attack the people of Munich. After defeating the dragon, and ridding themselves of the plague, a ceremonial dance has been danced through the city for over 500 years. 

When the Black Plague hit Munich in 1349, almost half the population of the city fell victim to it. Some historians claim that the Black Death struck Munich up to 25 times between the mid-14th and late 17th centuries – a period of approximately 350 years. During these years, many legends and tales about what caused it spread.

Read More: Check out all ghostly legends from Germany

Right by the church at the north site of Marienplatz, the New Town Hall still bears the images of the legend of the dragon. This dragon was once said to have brought the plague to Munich with its poisonous breath. 

The New Town Hall: Neues Rathaus is a town hall that forms the northern part of Marienplatz in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It hosts the city government including the city council, offices of the mayors and a small portion of the administration. In 1874 the municipality left the Old Town Hall for its new place.

The Wurmeck Corner of New Town Hall

At the western corner of the New Town Hall, a large dragon climbs the neo-Gothic tower called the Wurmeck Tower, first completed in 1906. The three stone reliefs above the fearsome dragon tell the legend. According to this legend, a lindworm crawled out of the earth in the city center, possibly even at this corner of the former marketplace, and spread the plague.

The Lindworm: The Lindworm is a snake- or dragon-like mythical creature in German folklore. The lindworm is usually bipedal, but four or more legs are also possible. It resembles a dragon and is sometimes referred to as a subspecies. It has no wings or only short ones and is mentioned primarily in old Germanic sagas.

In the central panel, the lindworm, or dragon ascends while a citizen falls to the ground, struck by the animal’s poisonous breath, while women and children flee to the sides. On the left, mercenaries and citizens prepare for battle against the dragon, loading a cannon.

The Basilisk: One of the four putti on the Marian column erected in 1638 in Munich’s Marienplatz also commemorates the fight against the plague. The basilisk, a mythical creature, symbolizes the deadly disease. a plague epidemic occurred in Munich around 1635, killing approximately one-third of the population – roughly 7,000 of Munich’s 22,000 inhabitants. // Image

After the Lindworm landed in the market square, courageous Munich residents shot him down with a cannon. Even after the dragon was defeated, no citizen dared venture onto the streets again except one. 

Plague Sites Around in Munich: The cross at Franz-Prüller-Straße 12 is probably a so-called plague cross. These were used during plague epidemics to mark houses where all the inhabitants had succumbed to the disease. The cross in the Au district are often said to date back to the plague epidemic that lasted from 1517 to 1519. // Image

Another version of the Lindworm Legend of Munich goes like this: 

In the year 1463, a plague-riding lindworm flew in from the Schwabing Gate and settled at the corner of the marketplace. Great terror ensued, and no one knew what to do until the mighty Duke Christoph came galloping down from Grünwald Castle and slew the dreadful creature. This and more of folklore could be found in a 1921 book called:  “The Adventures of Duke Christoph.”

The Lively Coopers and their Plague Dance

The coopers are also depicted on the tower. Because the coopers lived and worked in the outer districts of the city due to the unpleasant smell of pitching the barrels, and because they inhaled the essential oils released when pouring the pitch into the barrels, they were better protected than many others. 

The coopers were left without work when no one dared to go outside after the plague subsided. One of them, whom tradition calls “Master Martin,” said to himself, “Someone has to make a start,” and resolved “to revive the old coopers’ guild dance and lure people out of their houses.

They were the first to dance through the streets after the Black Death had ravaged the city, to lure people back outside. This dance was called The Schäffler dance and still to this day, the dance performs is about fighting fear and overcoming the plague. 

The Schäffler Dance: This is a guild dance of the coopers (barrel makers), who dance prescribed figures to music. It originated in Munich and The Munich Schäffler dance was first documented in 1702. From 1830 onwards, the custom spread beyond Munich through traveling journeyman coopers and is now common in many places in Old Bavaria and Bavarian Swabia. It only performs every 7 years, and the next one would be in 2033. Besides an alleged recurrence of the plague every seven years, the lucky number “7”, and an order from Duke William IV, a schedule of guilds for their customs is also among the possible reasons for the cycle.

There is a legend that claims the dance was first performed in Munich in 1517 during a plague epidemic. It is doubted that there was even a plague epidemic in Munich in 1517, as the death registers for that year do not show any unusually high death rates.

The Dancers: Originally, only unmarried journeyman coopers with impeccable character were allowed to participate in the Schäffler dance; master coopers and their sons were not permitted. Besides the dancers, there are lead dancers, barrel bangers, jesters, and hoop swingers. Apart from the jesters, who wear colorful costumes , everyone is dressed in the cooper’s costume with black shoes, white knee socks, black breeches, a leather apron, a red jacket, and a green cap with a white feather plume.

The legend is attributed to the house name Wurmeck, which refers to the medieval burgher house at Marienplatz 3, located on the same site, that was demolished to make way for the town hall. A list of corner house names from 1725 mentions that a lindworm was attached to the corner house; a relief of Saint George slaying the dragon is documented from a later period.

Or just maybe, it all started with a murderous dragon coming to town, trying to spread the plague in Munich. 

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References:

Schäfflertanz – Wikipedia 

Pest in München: pomki.de Website 2024

Lindwurm – Wikipedia

Wurmeck – Wikipedia

Der historische Schäfflertanz in München: Bilder und Videos

Ursprung des Tanzes – Schäfflertanz Murnau

Sagen & Geschichten – Eintrag bearbeiten

Die Abenteuer Herzog Christophs von Bayern genannt der Kämpfer – Franz Trautmann

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The Dragons of Mount Pilatus: Serpents and Ghosts in the Mist of Lucerne

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Is there a dragon nesting in Mount Pilatus by Lake Lucerne in Switzerland? For centuries the mountain has brought fear and fantastical tales from the locals living at the foot of the raging mountain. It was even forbidden to visit, as they believed disturbing the spirits would cause storms and flooding.  

Above the shimmering waters of Lake Lucerne, shrouded in thick clouds and an aura of ancient mystery, Mount Pilatus looms over the Swiss landscape like a sentinel from another world. Feared for bringing bad weather, stories about ghosts and mythological creatures are said to reside there.

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While today it is a beloved destination for hikers, skiers, and tourists, this formidable massif has long been known by a darker name: Dragon Mountain. With jagged peaks, hidden caves, and a history that weaves folklore into the very rock, Pilatus has earned its reputation as a place where legend and reality blur.

Mount Pilatus: Known as Dragon Mountain, towers majestically above Lake Lucerne, shrouded in mystery and steeped in folklore. Thought to be haunted as well as the location of a dragon’s lair.

A Mountain of Monsters and Dragons

The legend of dragons dwelling on Mount Pilatus dates back centuries, with tales so vivid and widespread that they were chronicled in early medieval records. Locals believed the dragons were no mere beasts but intelligent and mystical creatures, protectors of ancient knowledge, and wielders of supernatural power. Their winged forms were said to disappear into the cliffs, their cries echoing down into the valleys during violent storms.

A particularly famous account comes from the summer of 1421. According to the chronicle, a great dragon was seen flying through the skies from Rigi to Pilatus before it plummeted down near the base of the mountain. A nearby farmer named Stempflin from Neuenkirch witnessed the crash and fainted from the shock. 

European Dragon; A dragon in a landscape, which, according to the Italian inscription, lived in the swamps outside Rome on December 1, 1691. On the left a bridge over a river.

When he awoke, the dragon had vanished, leaving behind a scorched earth, a thick pool of blood — and something strange: a smooth, shimmering object soon named the Drachenstein (Dragon Stone). Locals attributed healing properties to this strange relic, and for many years it was kept in a Lucerne church as a miraculous artifact. The surgeon Martin Schriber acquired the object from a descendant of Stämpfli and in 1523 had its miraculous powers confirmed in a document by the mayor and council of the city of Lucerne.

Dragon Mountain: An illustration depicting a dragon soaring through the sky, embodying the mythical tales surrounding Mount Pilatus. Discovery of the Lucerne Dragon Stone by the farmer Stämpfli. One of four illustrations from: Description of the famous Lucerne or 4th Waldstaetten Lake by Johann Leopold Cysat. Chapter 25: Of Dragons and Lindtwürms and of the Dragon Stone found in the city of Lucerne.

It was for a long time well documented over the years. after Schriber’s death in 1527, it came into the possession of Dorothea Moser , and in 1564 of the town clerk Johannes Kraft , then of the mayor Ludwig Schürf , then into the possession of the Cloos family, from whom it went to the Fleckenstein family and finally to the Meier von Schauenstein family.  In 1929, the Canton of Lucerne acquired the stone from the latter for 400 francs. Since then, it has been state property and was displayed in the Natural History Museum in Lucerne.

When the stone was loaned in 1954 to the Pharmacy History Museum in Basel, the documentation was lacking. After some deaths, it was forgotten about and considered lost in Lucerne for years until a curator in 1960 happened upon it in a museum in Basel. 

By 1978, it was back when the Natural History Museum in Lucerne reopened. For a long time, people assumed the stone was a meteorite. However, in 2006, they did some tests on it, showing it was burnt clay, although the origin and the cause of the stone and dragon legend remains a mystery. 

Dragon on Pilatus: Illustrations from the 1661 book: Description of the famous Lucerne or 4. Waldstaetten Lake by Johann Leopold Cysat. Chapter 25: Of dragons and lindworms and of the dragon stone found in the city of Lucerne.

The Dragon in the Reuss River

The story about the farmer and the healing dragon stone is not the only dragon sighting from the 1400s. In 1499, a dragon was reportedly washed ashore in the Reuss River running through Luzern, at the foot of the Mount Pilatus mountain. 

River Reuss: The iconic wooden Chapel Bridge at night, reflecting over Lake Lucerne, near the legendary Mount Pilatus.

Still to this day, reports about seeing something swim under the Reuss bridge, whether be a dragon sighting or something similar to the Loch Ness monster is still happening. 

A Portal Between Worlds

Other tales claim that a secret cave system beneath the peak known as the Flue served as a nesting ground for the dragons, and that travelers who dared venture too close would be cursed or spirited away. In one version from a 1619 chronicle, a man witnessed dragons gliding between the great rock formations of Pilatus and vanishing into the very walls of the mountain. These were no mindless beasts but powerful guardians, perhaps even shape-shifters, tied to the elements.

There are also stories about people falling off the snowy mountain in the winter, but awaking warm inside of the dragon’s cave, with the dragon nursing them back until spring. This story about nice dragons nursing someone through winter, This story happened the same year as the Dragon Stone appeared, and that the young man was fed on moon milk from the cave walls and flown back to Lucerne by the two dragons living there after the winter was over. 

The Ghost of Pontius Pilate

Because of these dark and unexplainable occurrences, the mountain was also considered cursed. In the Middle Ages, the city council of Lucerne forbade anyone from climbing Pilatus for fear of awakening the spirits and demons said to be imprisoned within. All farmers had to swear by God that they would never visit the lake either. In 1387, six priests were jailed for it. In 1564, two men made it to the lake without meeting a spirit, so they threw stones in the lake instead. This was said to cause a thunderstorm and they too were put in jail. 

Before being called Mt Piilatus, it was called Fractus Mons or Fräkmünt until 1460. The ghost of Pontius Pilate, from whom the mountain may derive its name, was also rumored to be buried in the now dried up Pilatus lake closeby, his soul haunting the region in eternal unrest.

Pontius Pilatus: He was the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius from 26/27 to 36/37 AD and most known for being the official who presided over the trial of Jesus and ordered his crucifixion. He was ordered to Rome by the Syrian legate to face Emperor Tiberius, but Tiberius died before Pilate arrived, and his fate thereafter remains unknown. The only sure outcome of Pilate’s return to Rome is that he was not reinstated as governor of Judaea, either because the hearing went badly, or because Pilate did not wish to return. Some say he retired, some say he committed suicide. // Image: Mihály Munkácsy: Christ before Pilate.

In the text Mors Pilati (perhaps originally 6th century, but recorded c. 1300 AD), Pilate was said to have been forced to commit suicide and his body thrown in the Tiber. However, the body is surrounded by demons and storms, so that it is removed from the Tiber and instead cast into the Rhone, where the same thing happens. Finally, the corpse is taken to Lausanne in modern Switzerland and buried in an isolated lake (perhaps Lake Lucerne), where demonic visitations continue to occur. according to another, Pilate took refuge in a mountain (now called Mount Pilatus) in modern Switzerland, before eventually committing suicide in a lake on its summit.

A remorseful Pilate prepares to kill himself. Engraving by G. Mochetti after B. Pinelli.

It was said that if he was disturbed, storms and bad weather would break loose from the mountain. The ghostly figure that is said to have appeared with gray hair and dressed in purple annually on Good Friday by the lake. 

In 1585, the priest Johann Muller got together with the authorities to prove this was all superstition. He brought them out to the lake and threw rocks at the water, and no bad weather came. They were still not completely convinced and decided to drain the lake forever in 1594 when they abolished the no visitation policy, just to be sure. 

How true is it that Pilatus died here though? There are several mountains claiming the same actually. Some say that the name was actually from the word Pila, meaning pilgrim. 

Myth Meets Modernity

The many dragon stories are told in the canton of Luzern and many of them believe that dragon still roars in the sky. Athanasius Kircher relates: “When I was looking at the bright sky at night in 1649, I saw a shining dragon flying past from a hole in a very large rock cliff on Mount Pilatus. Its wings were moving rapidly, and as it flew it threw off sparks like glowing iron when it is being forged.

Though scientific understanding has long since overtaken belief in dragons, the legend of Mount Pilatus remains one of the most enduring pieces of Swiss folklore. Even today, Pilatus is affectionately referred to as Drachenberg — Dragon Mountain — and symbols of dragons can be found carved into signs, trail markers, and souvenir shops throughout the region.

Lake Lucerne: Mount Pilatus towers majestically over Lake Lucerne, embodying Swiss folklore with its snow-capped peaks and mysterious aura.

The Dragon Stone itself reportedly vanished during one of Lucerne’s many church restorations, though some say it was hidden away to protect its powers. Others believe the dragons are simply dormant, waiting beneath the rock for the right time to rise again.

Visitors hiking the slopes on misty days often report strange gusts of wind, echoing screeches, or fleeting shadows soaring across the mountain face. Whether these are tricks of the imagination or something far older and more powerful, one thing remains certain: Mount Pilatus will never stop watching — or hiding its secrets.

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References:

https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luzerner_Drachenstein

Alpine Dragons

Pontius Pilate – Wikipedia

Die Mythen des Pilatus

Datei:Pilatus-Drachen 1661 – Luzerner Drachenstein.jpg – Wikipedia

Legends of Mount Pilatus

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Lenzburg Castle: The Haunting Legends of a Swiss Hilltop Fortress

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One of the oldest castles in Switzerland is the hilltop fortress Lenzburg Castle. Said to be built on top of an old dragon lair from ancient times, it is also said to be haunting with a bell ringing for no one and the ghost of a maid by the well in the midst of the night.

High above the medieval town of Lenzburg in the Swiss canton of Aargau, Lenzburg Castle is one of the oldest and most storied hilltop fortresses in the country. Many would also consider it one of the most important castles in the country. Its thousand-year history is steeped in bloodshed, intrigue, and mystery.

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From dragons and cursed maidens to bells that toll for no living hand, the haunted history of Lenzburg Castle offers a chilling glimpse into Switzerland’s darker folklore.

A Fortress Raised from Dragon’s Blood

Even before the 11th century castle was built, someone had been living there. In 1959 they found a Neolithic gravesite at the carpark as well as Roman and Alemannic traces. As with many ancient sites, the origins of Lenzburg Castle are rooted in myth. Long before it became the residence of counts and Bernese bailiffs, the hill on which it stands was said to be home to a fearsome dragon. The beast, hiding in a dark, yawning cave within the hillside, terrorized the surrounding countryside, until two courageous knights — Wolfram and Guntram — confronted and slew the creature. 

Grateful for their bravery, the people of Lenzburg awarded the knights by naming them Counts of Lenzburg and granting them the hill to build their stronghold. After the family became extinct through the male family line in 1173, the lands were shared between the houses of Kyburg, Zähringen and Hohenstaufen before the Habsburg took over the territory.

The Bell That Rings for No One

Among the castle’s most eerie features is its 12th-century bell in the courtyard of the bailiff’s office in the castle. After the Habsburgs occupied the castle in the 13th and 14th centuries, it was then used as the seat of government by the Bernese bailiffs until the 18th century.

Local legend holds that on nights of the full moon, the great bell sometimes rings out, even though no one is in the tower, and no hand is seen to pull the rope. The ghostly toll reverberates through the ancient walls and across the shadowed courtyard, waking uneasy dreams among those staying nearby.

No satisfactory explanation has ever been found for these phantom peals, though some believe they are a call from the other side, or a lament from the countless souls who once called the castle home.

Some say it comes from a legend that happened not too far from Lenzburg. A man was once said to have been found murdered on the street, but they were unable to find his killer. To catch him, they decided to break a bone from the corpse and hang it on the pull of the Lenzburg Castle bell. 

Anyone seeking justice or alms from the bailiff had to ring it. For many years, the bone had been tied like this to no avail, until one full moon night, a begging old man rang the bell and was suddenly splashed with blood, a sure sign of his guilt. He was arrested and confessed to having attacked and murdered the man in his youth.

The Sod Maid Ghost of Lenzburg Castle Haunting the Well

Among Lenzburg’s spectral inhabitants you will find the ghost of a maid haunting the castle. Today she is mostly referred to as the Sod Maid. She is said to appear each year on Corpus Christi Eve that falls at the end of May or in June. Dressed in a trailing gown and clutching a small, pale child to her breast, the sorrowful ghost wanders through the castle gardens under cover of night.

Her path is always the same: she moves toward the ancient sod well, a type of dug shaft well, now-sealed pit within the grounds, rocking and soothing the child in her arms. As the church bell strikes midnight, the woman lets out a grief-stricken cry and drops the child into the dark, watery depths. A sickening, heavy thud follows. It is said this tragic act was born of forbidden love, and that the maid, unable to bear the shame of her secret, drowned her child to keep her secret safe.

The legend claims she can only be redeemed if a pure, virgin maiden can catch her tears in a jug before they touch the ground. But when one brave girl once attempted it, the tears proved impossibly heavy, and the jug slipped from her grasp. Since then, the Sod Maid still wanders the grounds, weeping for the child she lost and the salvation forever out of reach.

A Castle Steeped in History and Shadows

Though today Lenzburg Castle offers family-friendly exhibitions and meticulously restored rooms showcasing medieval domestic life, the weight of its history lingers. The echoes of lost souls cling to its ancient stones, and visitors often report unsettling feelings in certain parts of the castle, particularly near the old well and bell tower.

It remains a place where history, myth, and ghost story intertwine — a castle raised from a dragon’s grave and watched over by a mother’s eternal sorrow. Lenzburg Castle is not just a relic of the past, but a living, breathing testament to Switzerland’s darker folklore, its legends as enduring as the mountains themselves.

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References:

6 scariest ghost stories from Switzerland

Around the Lenzburg

Lenzburg Castle – Wikipedia

Radio SRF 1 – Beat Schlatter auf Geisterjagd im Belchentunnel

Die Sage der Sodjungfer von Schloss Lenzburg – Museum Aargau 

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The Ghostly Gathering of Poland’s Kings in the Dragon’s Den on Christmas Eve

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Deep under the Wawel Castle in Kraków, in the caves known as the Dragon’s Den, a royal gathering is said to happen every Christmas Eve. All former Kings that once ruled Poland come together in a ghostly reunion to discuss how their country is going. 

Beneath the historic Wawel Castle in Kraków, the former capital of Poland, lies a labyrinthine cave known as the Dragon’s Den, or Smocza Jama. This legendary limestone cave leading to the bank of the Vistula, steeped in myth and history, is said to be the haunt of the fearsome Wawel Dragon. 

However, a more spectral tale weaves through the stone corridors of this eerie underworld stretching 276 meters: the ghosts of Poland’s kings are rumored to gather here on Christmas Eve, shrouded in an ethereal glow and cloaked in mystery.

Wawel Castle: In the winter time, it is said that the old King’s of Poland gathers under the castle on Christmas Eve.

Wawel Royal Castle

The castle Zamek Królewski na Wawelu on the limestone outcrop Wawel Hill is a fortified place established by the orders of King Casimir III the Great who reigned in the 1300s, although some of the oldest buildings can be traced back to 970. Over the centuries the building grew and today it has some representation of almost all European styles stretching from the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque period. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Haunted Castles

The castle used to be the residence of the Polish kings for centuries and at its peak, the seat of one of Europe’s most important states and is today the 20th most visited art museum in the world. Now, there are no more kings in Poland except those from history and said to be haunting the Dragon’s Den, said to be where a legendary dragon lived centuries ago. 

The Legend of the Wawel Dragon

Statue made as remembrance of the Wawel Dragon

The legend of the Wawel Dragon, Smok Wawelski, dates back to the early Middle Ages when King Krak established Krakow, when the beast was said to terrorize the local populace, demanding tribute in the form of livestock and maidens. The king’s son managed to stop the dragon when he fed it sheep filled with sulfur. 

However, the younger prince wanted the credit for it, and killed his brother. He was banished though and Princess Wanda got the kingdom. The oldest written telling of the story came in a 12th century work in Wincenty Kadłubek’s Chronica Polonorum, but the legend got many adaptations.

Read also: The Myths and Legends of Frankenstein Castle, another haunted castle said to have had a dragon living there. 

Throughout the years, the legends changed, sometimes it was the king himself who freed them. But the most retold legend tells about how the dragon met its demise at the hands of a clever shoemaker or cobbler named Krak, who fed it a sheep filled with sulfur. It had to drink gallons of water from the River Vistula until it exploded. Krak then married the princess and became king. He built his castle on top of the hill and former dragon’s lair. The creature’s fiery end marked the beginning of the Dragon’s Den’s sinister reputation, a reputation that would only grow with time.

The Wawel Dragon: in Sebastian Münster’s Cosmographie Universalis (1544)

The Royal Ghosts of Wawel

The Wawel Castle has long been the seat of Polish royalty, hosting kings and queens, their courts, and their secrets. It is said that the spirits of these monarchs, unable to rest peacefully in their royal tombs, are drawn to the Dragon’s Den on the holiest night of the year. The Dragon’s Den’s entrance can be found next to the Thieves Tower at the southwestern end of the castle grounds.

There are many strange talks about what really is inside of these caves. King Kazimir in the 11th claims that when he was a child, he went into one of the tunnels and found a glowing stone that contained magical energy that protects Krakow from invasion and harm. 

It is also worth noting that there were both taverns and brothels inside of the cave systems that kings frequented through hidden corridors. So what the kings really return to inside of the cave, who really knows. 

But the strangest haunted rumor is definitely the annual Christmas tradition that the ghost of the former kings have started, as they all gather here on Christmas Eve

Ghostly Gathering for Christmas in the Dragon’s Den

Christmas Eve, a time when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is believed to be thinnest, sees the cavern come alive with ghostly activity.  As the clock strikes midnight, the spectral forms of Poland’s past rulers emerge from the shadows, gathering in the cave for a macabre reunion. Cloaked in regal attire, these phantoms carry with them the weight of centuries of history, their translucent forms shimmering in the dim light of the cave.

As the bell tolls, the ringing wakes a pair of enchanted knights who leave the cave and rides to the castle. They knock on the door of the chamber under the castle itself to wake King Bolesław Chrobry the Brave who was the first crowned king of Poland. He then takes the throne for one night only and leads the council of the dead kings that have gathered.

Read: Check out all ghost stories from the Christmas season

Among the spectral assembly, the imposing figure of King Casimir III the Great is often recognized. Known for his extensive contributions to Polish law and infrastructure, his ghostly presence commands respect even in death. Another frequent apparition is that of King Sigismund III Vasa, whose reign saw the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth reach its zenith. Their spirits, along with those of other monarchs, gather to recount their deeds, their triumphs, and their regrets.

Source: Flickr

The Christmas Eve Spectacle

The ghosts of Poland’s kings, gathering in the Dragon’s Den on Christmas Eve, provide a haunting reminder of the country’s rich and turbulent history. Their spectral assembly, shrouded in mystery and bathed in the glow of the supernatural, continues to captivate the imaginations of those who hear the tale. Over the Wawel Cathedral where the burial site of at least 16 different kings is, there has been hanging Dragon bones next to the entrance since the 16th century. The legend is, if they ever break or fall, Krakow will go under. 

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References:

dragon’s den and other wawel castle curiosities 

Dragon’s den – Wawel Royal Castle – official website – tickets, informations, reservations 

Smocza Jama – Wikipedia 

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The Myths and Legends of Frankenstein Castle

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The historic building of Frankenstein Castle is now mostly in ruins, but is still a place for myths and legends to live on and inspire new horror. 

On a stoney hilltop amidst the dark forest there at the spurs of the low mountain range of Odenwald in Germany is an old medieval castle called Frankenstein Castle. 

The place itself with its narrow valleys and dark trees contains many legends and is heavy with myths of the past. The same can be said for the castle on the hilltop that has weathered many storms, legends and ghosts since it was built. 

The Frankenstein Castle or Burg Frankenstein was built sometime before 1252, the year of the first historical record, by Lord Conrad Reiz of Breuberg. Already then the place was filled with myths and stories about other older castles that had once stood there. 

The castle went through many modernisations and so did the Frankenstein family living there for over 400 years. They saw many things change during their reign as lords and knights and during the Reformation they were strong opponents to the Lutherans, being devoted Roman Catholics. 

By the 18th century the castle was used as a hospital and refuge until it fell into ruins. The two iconic towers that are seen today are nothing more than a restoration from the mid 19th century. And an inaccurate version of that. 

Myths and Legends of the Frankenstein Castle

Many strange things have happened near this place. Like in the 18th century when fortune tellers made everyone believe that a treasure was hidden close to the castle in 1763. Everyone started digging for it until local authorities had to ban people from gold digging altogether. 

Close to the castle you will also find magnetic stones on Mount Ilbes were compases don’t work properly. Many say that there is witchcraft practice at these stones on special occasions like on summer solstice. It is said that Mount Ilbes is the second most important meeting place for witches in the country after Mount Brocken, and visitors are advised to not disturb any ongoing rituals. 

Another mythical thing close to the Frankenstein Castleis the Sea of Rocks known as Felsenmeer, and believed to be a place where Siegfried the dragonslayer was murdered in the epic poem Nibelungenlied. 

This is also a place where you can see legendary creatures like water spirits that change into a fox. 

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

The Frankenstein Castle may or may not have been inspired by this historic castle when she wrote her novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus in 1818. 

The meaning behind the name is the two words, Franks, a Germanic tribe, and Stein, meaning stone. And the name itself is actually a pretty common name for castles in this region. There is also the connection to Benjamin Franklin as an inspiration, so the name itself doesn’t necessarily prove anything. 

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: Whether or not she really was inspired by the castle or the legends about the place is unclear. But there are myths about a scientist creating a monster with the help of lightening within the walls of Frankenstein Castle.

There is however no mention of the castle itself in the book and many researchers doubt Shelley’s connection to the castle as she herself never went. It is possible that she heard stories about it as the legends were quite notorious when she visited Germany. 

The biggest connection is the rumors surrounding one of the alchemists living in Frankenstein castle that the rumors said he also created a monster. 

The Alchemist and the Elixir of Life

Once there was a man named Johann Konrad Dippel (1673-1734) who was born in the castle. This man would later become a professional alchemist and he created an oil said to contain the ‘Elixir of Life’ meant to grant eternal life. 

The animal oil, which is known as Dippel’s Oil is a dark, tar like liquid with a horrible smell from distillation of bones. It was used mostly as an animal and insect repellent. In World War II it was used to make wells undrinkable.  Dippel tried to buy the castle in exchange for the elixir of life, but was turned down. 

Fountain of youth: Near castle Frankenstein you will find the fountain of youth. // Source: Pascal Rehfeldt

During his stay at Frankenstein castle there were many rumors going on about the man. He supposedly sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for secret knowledge. They also said he did not only practice alchemy, but also anatomy, a practice strictly forbidden more so than the magic of alchemy.

They said he performed experiments on dead bodies he dug up and took back to the castle. The local cleric warned his parish that Dippel created a monster that he brought to life with the help of a bolt of lightning. 

Although none of these experiments have been proven there are local people claiming to this day that this happened within the castle walls.  

This is not the only connection the place has with eternal life though, as it is said the place is also where you can find the fountain of youth. According to legend, on the first full-moon night after Walpurgis Night, which is on the night of April 30. Old women from the villages closeby went to test their courage. Those who succeeded would become as young as she had been on her wedding night. 

Lord George and the Dragon

According to legend, there lived a dragon in the garden of the Frankenstein Castle near the well in the 1200s. The villagers in the neighboring village Nieder Beerbach lived in fear from this monster who snuck into the village at night to eat them and their children in their sleep. 

The Gardens of the Castle: Nature is slowly taking over the castle. According to myth, there was a dragon near the well in the Frankenstein Castle garden// Source: Frank Vincentz

One day a knight named Lord George came by and the people were desperate for his help, which he promised. 

The very next day he put on his armor and got his shield and sword. He rode up to the Frankenstein Castle gardens, straight to the well where the dragon was resting in the sun. 

The battle that ensued lasted for hours, and Lord George nearly gave up from exhaustion while the dragon spat fire and steam. But Lord George managed at last to pierce the underbelly of the dragon with his sword, giving him a killing blow. But just as the dragon was dying, he clung to the knight with his poisonous tail and stung the knight, leaving them both to die. 

The villagers were relieved and happy though and gave the knight an honorable burial for his sacrifice. They took him to the Church of Nieder Beerbach, in a valley east of the Frankenstein Castle, making a tomb for him. 

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