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The Legend of the Witches of Llers Castle and the Vampire, Conde Estruch of Catalonia

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Was there an iberian vampire before the European vampire panic in Eastern Europe? Who was really Conde Estruch, the vampire of Catalonia, and what happened to the witches of Llers Castle the count was said to use as his lair. 

In the dark hills of Catalonia, where forests cling to ancient stone and the cold Tramuntana del Canigó wind sings, stories about witches and vampires haunt the old ruins still standing. Like the supposed haunted ruins of Llers Castle, located in the highest part of the town of the same name, in the province of Girona close to the French border.

Read More: Check out all ghostly stories from Spain

Unlike many modern portrayals of the vampire, the legend of Conde Estruch is as mysterious as its origins. Is it an old remnant from Catalan lore, or is it actually a modern invention built on old fears?

The Noble Origin of Conde Estruch

Imaginary portrait of King Alfonso II of Aragon (1157-1196)

Let’s go back to what most outlets, articles and books tell us today about the mysterious and deadly vampire Conde Estruch. According to Catalan mythology, Conde Estruch was once a nobleman of high standing. The count is sometimes known as Arnald, Guifred or Wilfred Estruch and lived in the 12th century under King Alfons II of Aragon. 

The king sent the elderly count on a mission to Llers Castle, located in the Empordà region of Catalonia, to fight against paganism and witchcraft. He was killed during the mission to convert the locals at the castle in 1173. Some say it was by witchcraft, cursing him to come back as something monstrous. Some say that it was because of his own sins and way of life he didn’t die peacefully, but was turned into something demonic, something vampiric. 

Soon after his burial, the villagers began to notice eerie signs. Livestock were found drained of blood without trace of injury. Crops failed in one field while others thrived. According to legend, the count, now returned as a young man, attacked the villagers, sucking their blood dry. He also seduced and impregnated women who gave birth to monstrous stillborns.

This went on for years. There are several theories about what finally stopped him. Some say that an elderly nun slayed him. Others say it was a Jewish hermit who used ancient rituals from the Kabbalah. 

The Truth Behind the Myth

How much of this old legend from Catalonia is true though? Did such a count exist in history? Did it even exist in old legends? There is talk about sources from the archives of Ripoll, but what exactly are these sources? According to author Salvador Sáinz who published his first book about the vampiric nobleman in 1991. There are those claiming that others have alluded to a vampiric being in this place before, like documents about the Jewish hermit who stopped the vampire, dating as far back as 1918. But after the loss of documents after the damages caused by the Civil War, it’s hard to say what’s true anymore.  But when the local historian, Antoni Egea Codina went to search for evidence in the 90s, he found nothing. 

As the author himself said in a blog comment: “I approach the novel as a fantasy story and I don’t intend to make anyone believe that Estruch existed. There was a legend that in the books was only four lines, no more, and I gave it an identity.” Source

He also wrote on his blog: I looked for a story set in our homeland and came across the legend of a certain Estruc. Reimagined as Count Estruch, a character of my own invention. Source

Some variant accounts, such as in popular Spanish media, place his activities in the early 13th century and depict him participating in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa on July 16, 1212, serving as a knight in the Christian forces led by King Peter II of Aragon against the Almohad Caliphate. A variant of the legend, which took place in 1173, claims that Estruch was poisoned by his own captain, Benach.

The surname Estruch is of Catalan origin, derived from the Latin personal name “Astrucus”. It appears in medieval records but without clear ethnic specificity. It is however a common name among the medieval jews in the area, but no lord or other person is connected to this story as of yet. 

In Occitania at that time, the Cathar heresy was deeply entrenched and stories about devils, witches and other monsters lurking. The story of the count does remind about another catalan tale though, that of the evil Count Arnau, who ended thanks to a nun. 

Read More: The Ghost of Comte Arnau on his Fiery Horse

Was the vampire tale actually a creation of fiction from one man rather than old lore from the community?

The Legend of Castle Llers

What about the castle, if the count wasn’t real, what about the lore of the castle? The castle is real and was from the 11th century with documentations from 1021. And when the supposed vampire and witch hunt happened, it coincided with a long line of Lords of Llers in more peaceful times than the legend suggests. 

Castle Llers: Its border location during the Middle Ages made the municipality of Llers the most fortified area of ​​the Empordà region , and one of the richest areas in Catalonia. The town had a barony castle from which eleven others depended. // Image: Albert Sarola Juanola

This castle was seriously damaged, first by the explosion of the powder magazine, caused by a spark from a smoker, and then in two bloody battles: the War of the Spanish Succession (1705-1716) and the Great War (1790-1795).

The worst disaster came with the Civil War. On February 8, 1938, Republican troops were retreating towards the border when they detonated 200 kilos of TNT stored in the church to prevent the ammunition to be used. The explosion had devastating effects, completely destroying the town. The force of the blast was such that only a large crater remained where the church had stood. Fortunately, the residents were warned, preventing a massacre, although the mayor perished. 

The locals have recalled witch myths to the castle, but according to them, no one was talking about vampires until the books were published in 1991. It is currently being restored by the City Council and tourism is clearly using the vampiric legend that has grown around it.

The Witches of In Llers

But what about the witches of Llers, the legend said to have been around for centuries? Les Garrigues, the area between Llers and Avinyonet de Puigventós, is the setting for many tales of witches. During the 16th and 17th centuries, witch hunts in this area were intense, with trials and executions that left an indelible mark on popular culture. 

It is a place where the Tramuntana del Canigó blows with great force in this place as there are no mountains shielding the town. As fast as 100 km per hour the wind can travel.  When the cold and harsh Tramuntana wind blows, you can hear whispering about the witches who lived and live in those lands.

The sharp whistle of the wind, according to popular beliefs, was caused by the fury of these women. Legend says that the witches of Llers, when angered, caused numerous disasters and hailstorms throughout the Empordà plain that could destroy the crops. When the hailstorm was caused by a witch, it was believed that she would leave a strand of hair behind every stone.

It was said that only the sound of the Figueres bell tower could quell such damage and a special bell ringing would block their path in the sky. The witches, unwilling to be defeated by the ringing of the bell tower, gathered together with the intention of bringing it down one New Years Eve. The bell ringer, sensing something was amiss, climbed the tower to check that everything was in order. When he reached the top, he saw a swarm of witches riding their broomsticks toward him. He then began to ring the bells incessantly; the noise and the battle were terrible, but in the end, the bell ringer managed to defeat the witches. But their attack created a fissure that would remain until the Civil War when the tower came down. 

The Witches of Llers: Les bruixes de Llers is a collection of poems published in 1924 by Carles Fages de Climent , with illustrations by Salvador Dalí and a prologue by Ventura Gassol. It was Fages’ first book of poems and the first book illustrated by Dalí.

According to some authors, like Joan Guillament in the 1976 book Bruixeria a Catalunya, there were rumours about witches into the late 1800s. One particular incident happened to a 72 year old woman who died in 1878, thought to be a witch by the villagers, causing problems for her four daughters and their reputation. 

Spanish Vampirism

So was it all just a figment of certain people’s imagination, or was the iberian vampire actually a collective idea and fear? It seems as with most cultures, the Spanish people have their tales of vampiric beings. 

In Asturia they have Guaxa. In Cantabrian they have Guajona, a blood-sucking hag from nearby Cantabrian folklore known for preying on sleeping victims without killing them. Whether to treat the two as the same entity with different names is uncertain. 

Read More: Guajona: The Blood-Thirsty Entity of Iberian Folklore and A Cautionary Tale of the Vampiric Guaxa from Asturia

Another Catalan “legend” is that of the Dips, a name given to a type of vampire dog that supposedly existed in meadows located a few kilometers south of Reus. It is even claimed that for this reason there is a town called Pratdip. 

Read More: El Dip: The Catalan Vampire Hound

A Pale Shadow in the Hills

Today the legend of Conde Estruch survives mostly in books and in the debate online if he was or wasn’t a real figure. The castle was destroyed in the Spanish Civil War and the historical documents about the legend are still not found. However, it seems like the legend has just started to take root. Several sites serve the story as an old legend rather than a modern fiction story. The legend of the catalonian vampire, it seems, is expanding. 

Llers celebrates its connection to these stories through the Fes-te Bruixa fair. In the wild hills of Catalonia, where mists rise at dusk and shadows gather where the path is lost, the story of witches and blood sucking monsters continues to be told. 

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References:

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conde_Estruch

El pare reusenc del primer vampir català

https://www.historiesdeuropa.cat/2016/12/el-primer-vampir-europeu-era-catala

https://www.castillosnet.org//monumento.php?r=GE-CAS-148&seo=

descubriendo ciudades…: Templarios en Catalunya: de Llers pasando por el Empordà

Llers – Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre

HISTORIA – Cultura, historia y patrimonio de Llers (Alt Empordà, Girona)

El conde Estruch

Javier Coria: EL CONDE ESTRUCH: ¿EL VAMPIRO CATALÁN?

El conde Estruch. – REALIDAD TRASCENDENTAL

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The Haunting of Caerphilly Castle – The Lady in Green and the Hag of Death

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A story of doomed lovers and haunted ivy leaves, the Lady in Green is said to haunt Caerphilly Castle in Wales together with the spirit of Gwrach-y-Rhibyn, wailing as an omen of death. 

Caerphilly Castle, one of the grandest fortresses in Wales, rises out of its mist-shrouded moat like a sleeping giant. Its immense stone walls and leaning tower have watched over the Rhymney Valley since the 13th century, built by Gilbert de Clare, the Norman Marcher Lord who sought to secure his power in South Wales. 

Yet beneath its stoic strength and noble history lies a tale of deathly omens, unquiet spirits, and the restless dead that refuse to release their hold upon its battlements.

A Castle Built for War

Caerphilly Castle was built by Gilbert de Clare (1243 – 1295) to control Glamorgan and halt the territorial expansion of Llewelyn ap Gruffudd (1223-1282). It is the second largest castle in size in Britain. It was built in a time of war and struggle for control over Wales and many of its ghosts come from this time. Spectral men-at-arms witnessed on the battlements.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from haunted castles 

On the 11th April 1268 Gilbert de Clare began construction of Caerphilly Castle. He built the castle to secure the area from attack and prevent lowland south Wales from falling into the hands of the Welsh leader Llywelyn the Last (Llywelyn ein Llyw Olaf). Llywelyn realised the threat and tried but failed to prevent the castle from being built. 

He made an attack in 1270 but building began again in 1271. Alterations, including the great hall by Hugh le Despenser in 1322-6, were the last making it a very pure example of late 13th century military architecture and a place of ghosts.

The Lady in Green Haunting

One of the more well known ghosts said to haunt the castle is that of Princess Alice. Alice de Lusignan, or Alice of Angoulême (October 1236 – May 1290), was described as being very beautiful with dark hair and dark eyes. She was also flirtatious and provocative according to people and rumors followed her because of it. She is said to haunt the castle, having died of a broken heart after de Clare killed her lover Gruffudd the Fair, Prince of Brithdir. 

Alice was the first wife of Marcher baron Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester, and half-niece of King Henry III of England. In 1253, Alice married Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester (2 September 1243 – 7 December 1295). He was the son of Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford and Maud de Lacy. He was ten years old at the time of his marriage. According to the story, she moved with her husband to the castle and fell in love with a prince.

Gruffudd confessed their secret to a monk, but was betrayed as the monk told her husband. Gilbert, filled with rage, sent his wife back to France and ordered his men to find Gruffudd. Gruffudd had caught the traitor monk and hanged him from a tree at a site now known as “Monk’s Vale” in, although it’s unknown if this is a real place. Gilbert’s men caught up with him, and Gruffudd was also hanged in the forest.

As a final step in his revenge, Gilbert sent a messenger to France to inform Alice that he had killed Gruffudd and she dropped dead on the spot.

Her ghost has haunted the ramparts of Caerphilly Castle ever since and her green robes mock her husband’s envy. Her presence has made ivy grow at rampant rates around the castle so it might be said she has eyes everywhere. 

How True was the Story  of the Doomed Lovers?

Did the legend of the Green Lady of Caerphilly Castle actually happen? It looks like history will say no. It actually looks like Alice de Lusignan or Angoulême never stepped foot in Caerphilly Castle. She lived until her husband’s treason against the crown in Tonbridge Castle in Kent, England. She died in May 1290 in Warren, Sussex, England and perhaps it was not of a broken heart at all. 

There were rumors about her infidelity, but that was with her half first cousin Prince Edward, while she was briefly imprisoned on account of her husband’s treason. In later years, “Red” Gilbert would become one of the most powerful and important noblemen in the kingdom. The marriage produced two daughters although the marriage was annulled on 16 May 1285.

But what about ‘Gruffudd the Fair, Prince of Brithdir’? Brithdir is actually a small village in the northern part of the Rhymney Valley near New Tredegar, in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales. But there was never a prince connected to it, and even though not all sources claim he was a prince, there wasn’t a ‘Gruffudd the Fair either as far as sources goes. There was however Gilbert’s Welsh rival Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Gwynedd, who later was recognised as one of the last independent  Prince of Wales. Perhaps he was the source of the legend, although he and Alice probably never met in real life.

So what about the Lady in Green said to haunt the castle? There have been countless stories of the green woman throughout the British Isles, often connected with the supernatural, like a crossover between witches, goddesses, fairy folk and the like. What is it that is said to haunt the ivy leaves and green of the castle? Could it just be a made up story, or could it be something else, something older? There was also a room at the castle, built into the wall, and supposedly haunted by an evil entity, but even less is said in regards to this. 

The Haunting of The Hag of the Mist

The Lady in Green is not the only spirit said to roam around the old castle grounds. And something even older is said to be behind the next haunting. 

De Clare family, once proud masters of Caerphilly Castle, were stalked by a spirit not of this world. The Gwrach-y-Rhibyn, the “Hag of the Mist,” was their personal harbinger of doom. To hear her rasping cry or glimpse her thin, leathery form was to know that death would soon strike the family. She would appear cloaked in shadow, her long hair matted, her hands twisted, her mouth opening in a mournful wail that echoed through the halls like the wind before a storm. Her presence foretold tragedy, a spectral messenger calling the family to prepare for loss.

The story of how she ended up at Caerphilly Castle stems from the 1700s. Apparently, she used to live in a swamp outside of Caerphilly. However, when the swamp flooded, she ventured into the town itself, terrifying everyone by flying around, screaming like a banshee. Some of the local boys tried to catch her but she fled into the castle, where she still resides today. 

When the de Clares finally left Caerphilly, fleeing war and ruin, the Gwrach-y-Rhibyn remained behind. The people of Caerphilly whisper that she is still there, bound to the castle’s ruins by grief and duty. Even today, when the de Clare family has died out, she is said to linger. 

On misty nights, when the moonlight shimmers on the flooded moat, she is seen drifting toward the castle’s gatehouse, her form little more than vapor in the cold air. It is said that the Gwrach-y-Rhibyn still walks toward Caerphilly on nights of death and change, her wail announcing another soul claimed by fate. 

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References:

Green Lady of Caerphilly Castle

Caerphilly Castle

The Green Lady of Caerphilly Castle, Wales — Facts-Chology

Alice de Lusignan, Countess of Gloucester – Wikipedia

Caerphilly Castle

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Rathfarnham Castle and the Lingering Ghosts Haunting it

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The whole estate of Rathfarnham Castle in south Dublin is said to have its ghosts. From the antique ballroom, its icy lakes and roads leading up to it, ghosts are said to linger. 

In the suburb of Rathfarnham, this grand Elizabethan castle was built in the late 16th century for Archbishop Adam Loftus, one of Dublin’s most powerful figures and is one of the oldest surviving residences in Ireland. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Ireland

Rathfarnham Castle, or Caisleán Rath Fearnáin, and its sprawling grounds have more than one ghosts said to be haunting it. 

Haunted Castle: Rathfarnham in County Dublin is said to be haunted by more than one ghost. // Source: PaulT/Wikimedia

The Woman in the Castle Ballroom

The first and most mysterious ghost legend of Rathfarnham Castle is that of the Ballroom ghost. It is a bit unclear when it was supposed to have originated, and who first started telling the story. 

The Ballroom: Thought to be haunted by the ghost of a woman. // Source: Johnny King.,./Wikimedia

The story goes that there were once two suitors fighting for her attention and hand. For whatever reason, they locked her away behind the panelling of the ballroom walls from the 18th century. They would have a duel and the winner would free her and take her hand. But, the two men died in the duel and no one knew the woman was trapped in the ballroom, and would remain so to this day. Now, she is haunting the ballroom, waiting for someone to find her. 

The Man Drowned in the Pond and his Dog Haunting it

The most famous legend tied to Rathfarnham Castle tells of a man who drowned in the pond nearby one bitter winter in 1840 or 41. The story was most likely first written down when the book True Irish Ghost Stories, by St. John D. Seymour and Harry L. Neligan came out in 1914. 

Visitors had gathered to skate on the frozen water, laughter and music filling the air, when the ice gave way beneath one unlucky skater. His devoted retriever leapt in after him, struggling against the freezing water in a desperate attempt to save its master. Neither survived. 

To this day, locals and visitors claim to see a ghostly dog running across the grounds at dusk or hear splashing and faint cries from the pond when the air turns cold. Some even say the phantom hound appears beside lone walkers on the road between the castle gate and Dodder Bridge.

The Murdered Boy from the Lodges

At one of the lodge gates, the spirit of a young boy is said to linger in one of the lodges according to a former lodge keeper. As with most of the Rathfarnham Castle’s legends, it is unsure when and who the legend talks about. 

The ghost seen around the lodges is believed to be a tragic victim of murder at the hands of a Romani, long ago. How long ago is not certain though, but it supposedly happened before 1914 when the book about Rathfarnham Castle’s ghostly legends were published. His restless presence is often felt by those who pass through at night, accompanied by the faint sound of sobbing or the soft patter of footsteps following close behind.

The Haunted Rathfarnham Castle

Whether it is the loyal retriever still searching for its master, or the lost child forever bound to the gate where his life was taken, Rathfarnham Castle holds tightly to its ghosts. By daylight, it stands as a proud monument to Dublin’s past and a host for cultural events. But when the sun sets and the wind sighs through the old trees, the estate becomes something else entirely and a haunting presence lingers.

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    Preying on the blood of the young one, the vampiric Guajona from northern Spain is said to stalk the villages and valleys in Cantabria, thirsting for blood.

References:

True Irish Ghost Stories: Chapter V. Haunted Places | Sacred Texts Archive 

HAUNTED TALES OF RATHFARNHAM CASTLE DUBLIN IRELAND

Dublin’s Haunted Houses – Bad Bobs

Rathfarnham Castle – Wikipedia

Rathfarnham Castle | Historic Sites & Buildings | Attractions Ireland

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The Devil’s Castle in the Aubinger Lohe and the Hidden Treasure

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Said to be the location of a hidden treasure, the old nobles from the Devil’s Castle in the Bavarian hills are said to roam the forest, still searching for it. 

The Aubinger Lohe is a green and wooden area on the western edge of the city limits of Munich, bordering to the north by the Lochhausen district. Lohe means forest or wetland, and is a part of Munich’s green belt. 

Read More: Check out all ghostly legends from Germany

The Aubinger Lohe with the Teufelsberg is the only natural elevation in the Munich gravel plain. With its summit height of 541 meters, it rises about 25 meters above its surroundings and is Munich’s highest hill.. It is called Teufelsberg” (Devil’s Mountain), after the now vanished Teufelsburg” (Devil’s Castle).

München, Aubinger Lohe, der kleine Moorsee in der Nähe der Moosschwaige

The Ruins of Aubinger Lohe Castle

In the south and southeast of the Aubinger Lohe, traces of settlements from Bronze Age, Celtic and Roman times have been found, as well as two Celtic hillforts. A lot of old legends linger under the trees, but perhaps the most told one is the curse of the old Aubinger Lohe Castle and the treasure that was lost. 

Read also: The Lost Castle of Hollerwiese

Deep into the woods a three-meter-deep ditch around a tree-covered hill at the northeast side. Aubinger Burgstall castle stood here in the Middle Ages. A trained eye can recognize the motte and the moat at Teufelsberg, but nothing else remains.

Source

The castle, now dubbed Teufelburg, or the Devil’s Castle, was founded in 1158 by Henry the Lion, Duke of Munich, to guard the road to Augsburg. The Lords of Aubinger were likely in the service of the Welf dukes. Aubing was first mentioned in 1010.

Image: Gras-Ober – source
Image: Gras-Ober – Source

The popular name Teufelsburg (Devil’s Castle) is post-medieval and refers to various legends of treasures hidden in the castle hill that could only be retrieved with the help of the devil. Besides the obvious possibility of ” Teufel ” (devil), a derivation from “Tuifel” (depression, pool) is also conceivable, referring to the damp area of ​​the Dachau Moor below.

In 1422, the castle was destroyed during a campaign by Duke Ludwig the Bearded shortly before the Battle of Alling and abandoned to decay and disappear. Apparently, it was a wooden structure, which is why no ruins remain.

The Ghost of Aubinger Lohe and the Cursed Treasure

There are a couple of different versions of the legend of the castle that vanished into thin air, or the treasure that is supposedly hidden away somewhere inside of the forest. 

One version claims that when the lord of the manor was slain while hunting in the Loh forests, his widow cursed both the woods and the castle as revenge. The stately castle then collapsed in on itself, along with all its treasures, and sank into the Teufelsberg. According to legend, the lady of the castle has since wandered restlessly as a white figure through the woods of the Aubinger Lohe.

Source

Wayward Cross Haunting: On the way to the so-called Aubinger Burgstall, known locally as Teufelsberg, stands a wayside cross. It has only been in this location for 13 years, but it commemorates a cross that stood elsewhere and was destroyed during the construction of the motorway tunnel. According to superstition, fiery men used to lie in wait at the former Lochhausen wayside cross after the evening prayer bells rang, ambushing anyone leaving the village’s boundaries. Only a fervent prayer, the story goes, could put an end to this hellish haunting.

Another version, it was the lord of the castle who cursed it with his dying breath as well as his wife, who is suspected was involved in his death. The castle then collapsed and sank into the Teufelsberg, along with everything inside. Legend has it that the castle contained fabulous treasures, which his wife apparently coveted. 

In both cases, a lady in white is roaming the forest, and the treasure of the cursed castle is buried somewhere under the green trees. 

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References:

7 wahre urbane Legenden aus München

Burg Teufelsberg (Aubing) 

Burgstall Aubing – Wikipedia

Sagen und Mythen – Magischer Zauber – München – SZ.de

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The Lady in Black at the Munich Residenz and the Wittelsbach Curse

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Before their deaths, members of the royal Wittelsbach family claimed to have seen the mystical Lady in Black appearing to them. Although the woman behind the black clothing is a mystery, her message has been clear: in the soon future, you will die.

A black-clad and veiled ghost is said to glide through the walls of the Munich Residenz, the former city palace of the Wittelsbach dynasty between Odeonsplatz and the English Garden. Like a curse, she haunts the Bavarian noble family and whenever she is seen, a family member dies shortly afterward. This curse has remained unbroken for centuries.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Germany

From 1508 to 1918, Munich Residenz was the residence of the Dukes, Electors and Kings of Bavaria from the House of Wittelsbach. The complex was destroyed in World War II and subsequently rebuilt and this is her haunting ground.

The House of Wittelsbach: One of the oldest German noble families. It is named after its ancestral seat in the 12th century, Wittelsbach Castle. Most of the numerous Wittelsbach lines are now extinct. The family members living today belong to the Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld line.

It’s unsure how long the legend of the Lady in Black has existed. Electress Maria Anna (* 1728; † 1797), wife of Elector Max III Joseph, wrote: “In our family it is said that she haunts the residence as the ‘Black Lady’ and announces deaths in the House of Wittelsbach.”

The Antiquarium in the Residenz in Munich, Germany, where the ghost of a lady in black is said to haunt.

Sigthing in 1864

On Shrove Tuesday 1864, at a costume ball celebrating the centenary of the Residenztheater in the Munich Residenz, an unknown woman in a black gown and mourning veil was seen floating through a door at the edge of the party. Shortly afterward, King Maximilian II pricked himself with a tie pin, contracting blood poisoning from which he died soon after.

Maximilian II of Bavaria: (1811-1864 in Munich) of the House of Wittelsbach was King of Bavaria from 1848 to 1864. He was married to Marie Friederike of Prussia , with whom he had two sons, the later Bavarian kings Ludwig II and Otto I. Despite setbacks such as the Palatinate Revolt, Maximilian’s reign saw a cautious liberalization, and ministerial responsibility was introduced. The king is particularly remembered as a patron of the arts, sciences, and folk culture; the Maximilian style is also named after him.

The king suffered from headaches throughout his life; a bout of typhoid fever in 1835 had severely weakened him. As late as the autumn of 1863, he traveled again to Italy and southern France [ 17 ] to seek relief before the crisis in Schleswig-Holstein called him back. Maximilian died in March 1864 after a severe illness lasting only three days. Physicians explained it as a rapidly spreading erysipelas infection of the chest

Sighting in 1886

Ludwig I is therefore considered the last sovereign monarch to rule Bavaria. During the revolutions of 1848, he faced increasing protests and demonstrations by students and the middle classes, following his affair with the dancer Lola Montez. He abdicated his throne to his son that year.

Ludwig lived as a private citizen for 20 years after his abdication and continued to support the arts with his own funds. His relationship with his successor was not without tension, especially since Ludwig did not completely abandon his building program.

In 1868, his father, King Ludwig I, also encountered a ghostly woman dressed in black and grey in the royal private apartments.

Ludwig I died on February 29, 1868, at the age of 81 in Nice, in a villa he had rented for the winter. He had been struggling with physical ailments, though he hadn’t altered his daily routine. His feet and lower legs were swollen, causing him difficulty breathing and restless nights. Two leg operations brought him some relief, but his condition was becoming increasingly serious. His two surviving sons, Luitpold and Adalbert, were summoned by telegram to Nice, where he received the Last Rites and died shortly afterward.

Sigtings in 1886

The mysterious death of King Ludwig II in 1886 in Lake Starnberg is also linked to the Black Lady’s appearance. On the night of June 12th to 13th, 1886, the day on which King Ludwig II died under unexplained circumstances in Lake Starnberg, the Black Woman allegedly appeared to some chambermaids.

Ludwig II Otto Friedrich Wilhelm of Bavaria: (1845-1886) Ludwig II left his mark on Bavarian history as a passionate builder of castles, most notably Neuschwanstein , Herrenchiemsee, and Linderhof ; he is also known as the Fairy Tale King. After his deposition on 9 June 1886, his uncle Luitpold took over the government of the Kingdom of Bavaria as Prince Regent, since Ludwig’s younger brother Otto was incapacitated due to mental illness .

The unexpected death of his father left Ludwig, who was just beginning his university studies, completely unprepared for his new role. Ludwig spent all his own private royal revenues (although not state funds as is commonly thought) on building projects, borrowed extensively, and defied all attempts by his ministers to restrain him. This extravagance was used against him to declare him insane, a determination that is now questioned. Ludwig was taken into custody and effectively deposed on 12 June 1886; he and his doctor were found dead the following day. His death was ruled to be a suicide, a conclusion that is also now questioned.

Sightings Between 1958-1960s

Between 1958 and the early 1960s, Detlef Willand, a woodcarver and restorer, worked on the reconstruction of the Munich Residenz and stayed there with several other craftsmen during the construction period. He, too, had seen the Black Woman walking through the Residenz at night and swears up and down that she vanished like a ghost when he went looking for her as he documented in his book: “The Black Woman in the Munich Residenz.“

Other restorers confirmed similar encounters, and a guard at the Residenz reported that at 12:30 a.m., during his rounds on the Stone Staircase, he had seen a woman dressed in black and spoken to her. The woman, in a strange black gown, did not respond and disappeared into the darkness of the corridor. 

Sighting in 1969

Even long after the Bavarian kings had stepped down from their thrones, the Lady in Black has been said to have made her appearances before imminent death in the family. In 1969, it is said she appeared to Prince Adalbert of Bavaria in a dream; shortly afterward, his son died in a plane crash.

Konstantin Prinz von Bayern died on 30 July 1969 in a plane crash near Hechingen, Baden-Württemberg. The private plane crashed into Mount Raichberg when they encountered deteriorating weather that included low visibility and clouds enveloping the terrain.

Sighting in 2014

The Residenz ghost was sighted again on April 23, 2014. This time, however, it didn’t appear to the king, ladies-in-waiting, or craftsmen, but crossed paths with Margot Ilgner, a new museum employee assigned to supervise the three northernmost of the six stone rooms. Ms. Ilgner reported that, about seven to eight meters away from her, when no visitors were present, a figure in a black, floor-length robe looked to be floating in the Room of the World. In her eyes though, the figure looked to be the size of an 11 year old girl. Her immediate search for the strange visitor proved fruitless. Other employees have also told a variant of a ghost roaming the castle accompanied by a pudel. 

The Woman in White Wearing Black

Although the ghost of the woman is said to be clad in black, her presence and pattern of haunting is much reticent of the legend of the Woman in White, or the Weiße Frau from European mythology, said to haunt different noble families. These legends and ghosts are especially common around German noble families. 

The oldest accounts of the apparition date back to the 15th century, while belief in the spirit reached its peak in the 17th century. Although similarities exist to other female spirits in European folklore, the White Lady is a phenomenon that originated in and was typical of the aristocratic culture of the Early Modern period.

Most often, her presence acts like an omen of death. Sometimes it is said to have been a woman who cursed the family, but not always. 

The Whining Woman: In Germany they also have a type of haunting known as Winselmutter, or the Whining Mother. is a legendary figure that appears in various regions of Germany, for example in the Ore Mountains, in Vogtland and in East Thuringia. She is usually described as an elderly woman who finds no peace. In the stories, she appears as a white figure or a walking light. The creature dwells in eerie places or in the homes of the seriously ill and makes plaintive sounds. An encounter with a wailing mother is always considered a bad omen of death.

The Woman Behind the Ghost

But who is the woman behind the ghost? There has been speculation that it might be Electress Maria Anna (1728–1797), the wife of Elector Max III Joseph. She was said to have loved her husband deeply and passionately, though it is said that he was more inclined toward the company of men. This is the woman often put forth, but as she already is credited with writing of a ghostly woman haunting the family, could it be someone from even earlier?

Maria Anna Sophia of Saxony (Maria Anna Sophia Sabina Angela Franciska Xaveria; 29 August 1728 – 17 February 1797)

Alternatively, it could be Electress Henriette Adelaide of Savoy (1636–1676). Henriette Adelaide, a French woman was cultured and made significant contributions to the arts. But her whole life changed when the Wittelsbach seat burned down in 1674. It remains uncertain who caused the fire through carelessness—whether it was the Electress herself or one of her ladies-in-waiting. Henriette Adelaide reportedly managed to save her children while clad only in her nightgown. She never recovered from the aftermath of the fire and died in 1676. 

Henriette Adelaide of Savoy (6 November 1636 – 13 June 1676)

Or what about another Maria Anna of Bavaria? Maria Anna of Austria 1610- 1665 was an Archduchess of Austria and by marriage Electress of Bavaria. Maria Anna, who had a particular fondness for hunting, was raised strictly Catholic by Jesuits and was considered a great beauty, and was credited with qualities such as intelligence, orderly conduct, and temperance. Maria Anna, at the age of 25, married her much older uncle, Elector Maximilian I of Bavaria (1573–1651), who was 62. Maximilian’s marriage to Maria Anna was not only linked to the hope of the birth of an heir apparent, but also a political demonstration of his alliance with the imperial house against France. Despite the significant age difference, the marriage was very happy, and Maximilian lovingly cared for his wife. Her whole life she engaged in politics and the state of affairs. 

Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria (German: Maria Anna von Habsburg, Erzherzogin von Österreich, also known as Maria Anna von Bayern or Maria-Anna, Kurfürstin von Bayern; 13 January 1610 – 25 September 1665)

She died in Munich aged 55 and was buried at St. Michael’s Church, while her heart was deposited in the Shrine of Our Lady of Altötting. 

The nature of the lady in black and her purpose for showing herself, is a little bit unclear. Is it a family curse, much like the lady plaguing the Hoenzollern family? Or is she perhaps more like a death omen, guarding over her family, like an Angel of Death?

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References:

https://epub.ub.uni-muenchen.de/27294/1/W816_5641.pdf

Münchner Stadtlegenden * Die Schwarze Frau der Residenz * Munichkindl

Münchner Residenz – Wikipedia

Winselmutter – Wikipedia

Weiße Frau – Wikipedia 

Wittelsbach – Wikipedia

SZ-Serie: Sagen und Mythen, Folge 14 – Schleierhafte Erscheinung – Landkreis München

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The Lady of the Stairs Haunting Ardgillan Castle

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Outside of Dublin overlooking the Irish sea, a white lady is said to be haunting the premise. Seen coming up from the beach and wandering on the castle grounds, the ghost that is called the Lady of the Stairs is just one of the ghosts said to linger at Ardgillan Castle. 

High above the crashing waves of the Irish Sea, where the green hills of Balbriggan roll toward the cliffs, stands Ardgillan Castle around 20 miles from Dublin. It is not the castle itself that draws whispers of the supernatural, but the lonely bridge known as The Lady’s Stairs, where a sorrowful figure is said to appear on misty nights.

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Built in 1738 by Reverend Robert Taylor, Ardgillan Castle has long stood as one of North Dublin’s most striking estates and it remained in the family until 1962. The grounds stretch toward the sea, with manicured gardens giving way to rugged cliffs and the endless horizon beyond. But even in such beauty, tragedy has left its mark. When the railway came, so did the private stairs down to their private beach in the 19th century at the end of the property overlooking the Irish sea. The stairs have been named The Lady’s Stairs, and it comes with a haunted story.

Legend of The Lady of the Stairs

The most famous ghost said to haunt Ardgillan is that of the Lady of the Stairs. There are particularly two legends said to be the origin of the ghosts. According to the first version, the Lady of the Stairs was the devoted wife of a nobleman who loved to swim daily in the cold, unpredictable waters below the estate. Each day, the Lady of the castle would walk to the arched footbridge overlooking the sea, known ever since as The Lady’s Stairs, to watch for his safe return.

One fateful evening, as the tide swelled and the skies turned dark, her husband did not come back. He was claimed by the merciless sea, leaving Lady Langford broken with grief. She returned to the bridge again and again, hoping in vain to see him emerge from the waves. Her vigil ended only when she too passed away, although her ghostly presence is still watching out for her long lost husband.

The Ghost of Lady Langford

Some however, say that the ghost is actually Louisa Augusta Connolly, Baroness of Langford haunting the Lady’s Stairs. Lord Langford of Summerhill House in Co Meath had just married her and brought her to the castle as he went hunting in Scotland as she was a friend of the Taylors. 

Lady Langford lost her life in a drowning accident on the 4th of November in 1853 on their private beach. She was known as a strong swimmer, but it was November, and the wind and waves got stronger and she was pulled out to sea. Several people saw her lifeless body floating in the water, but the waves were too strong to swim against. 

A boat had been launched from Balbriggan, believed to be manned by Mr McGregor. and at 1.40pm, the boat brought her ashore. The lifeless body of Lady Langford was carried up the steep cliffside and across the bridge and on into the castle. Although the servants tried to bring her back to life by placing her in a hot bath, it was to no avail. She was only 31 years old when she died. 

The Ghost of the Lady’s Stairs

For generations, people walking near the cliffs after dusk have claimed to see a figure dressed in white standing silently on the bridge, her gaze fixed on the restless waters below. Locals call her The Lady of Ardgillan or the Lady of the Stairs.

Some say she appears only at twilight, her form faint and shimmering like sea mist. Others insist they have heard soft sobs carried on the wind or seen her vanish when approached. The air grows cold around The Lady’s Stairs, and those who linger too long often describe an overwhelming sense of sorrow, as if the grief of centuries still lingers there. It is also said that if a person goes to the end of the bridge at midnight on Halloween, she will appear and throw them to their death in the ocean. 

The Haunting of Uncle Ned

The Lady of the Stairs is not the only one said to be haunting Ardgillan Castle though, and the ghost of the Reverend, now called Uncle Ned is said to wander the cold corridors of the castle, still looking for his bible he lost. 

It is believed to be the ghost of Reverend Edward Taylor. He moved to the castle with his wife in 1807.  The story goes that he was sitting in the corner of the dining room on the 7th of June, 1852, reading his Bible. Suddenly, he died after a heart attack and the Bible fell out of his hands and to the floor. 

Outside there are 21 yew trees that were planted for his birthday, and workers have sometimes claimed to have seen Uncle Ned strolling on the yew walk. He is also said to be the one opening a particular door that opens by its own in the night. 

After the death of her husband, Mrs Taylor dismissed the staff and moved to Meath. She left a gardener with the key. Some time after, although not specified, the two sons of the gardener were working on the terrace where a passageway leads to the cellars through a glass door. As they were working, they heard footsteps approaching the door inside of the castle. And although they looked everywhere, they found no intruders, and all of the doors were locked. 

The gardener also had some experience with the paranormal activity of the castle, as he a few years before had seen a woman in a white dress, standing behind the glass cellar door. But when he moved to open the door for her, she vanished. When he talked with Mrs Taylor about it, she said she had been visited by the spirit of her son and talked with him, four nights after his death. 

The Castle Banshee

Not only has it been said that ghosts haunt the halls of the castle, there are also workers that swear they have met the ancient banshee entity Ireland is filled with. Tom Reilly, according to the Irish Independents says that one of the rangers swears he met the banshee once as he was making his rounds. This activity is said to have happened in the surrounding forest area, and Banshees are Celtic harbingers of death. She asked him for his comb and he never saw it again. 

The Banshee: People have depicted the Banshee as many things, everything from a beautiful fairy like woman to a monster. Here from the book Bunworth Banshee, Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland by Thomas Crofton Croker, 1825

Whatever really happened, the ranger was apparently adamant that it really did happen, although it hasn’t been reported to have happened ever again. There have been investigators that claim to have evidence of a Banshee presence by screaming into an app and getting something screaming back. Make of that what you will. 

Source

There are also some reported activities, although a bit more vague in nature, in the old kitchens in the basement and the servants quarters in the east and west wings. According to Tom Riley, the local historian and manager of the castle, the death of Edward Richard Taylor’s death as well as a maid who allegedly died during childbirth in the castle, deaths that have helped fuel the haunted stories as well. 

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References:

Ghosts of Ardgillan | Irish Independent

The story of The White Lady of Ardgillan Castle | Skerries Historical Society

‘Spooked Ireland’ Team Tackles Generations-Old Banshee Haunting At Ardgillan Castle | Higgypop Paranormal

Ardgillan Castle – Wikipedia

And now they say her ghost walks the steps at Ardgillan Castle… | Irish Independent

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The White Lady of Duino Castle: A Haunting Beneath the Cliffs by the Castle Ruins

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Frozen in all eternity as a stone below the old castle of Duino on the cliffs. It is said to be haunted by the Lady in White, the former lady of the castle, thrown off the cliffs by her jealous husband. Now she returns to the castle to watch over her child she left behind. 

Lovers, if Angels could understand them, might utter
strange things in the midnight air.
– Rainer Maria Rilke, Duino Elegies

High above the Gulf of Trieste on a rugged cliffside stands the ruins of the old Duino Castle, a fortress of ancient stones and whispered sorrows. According to stories, this was once a place of druidic worship dedicated to the Sun God. The oldest written document that deals with the fortress of Duino dated 1139, built on the ruins of a Roman outpost, the period in which the dominion of the Tybein de Dewino, or Tybeiner who were vassals of the patriarchs of Aquileia.

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The castle ruins we can see today date back to the castle from 1389, when the Wallsee family commanded the construction of a strong fortress. Over time, the Wallsee family disappeared and the castle, after having been used as a prison, became the residence of the Luogar and Hofer.

Tales of the old Duino Castle and area have been immortalized by the Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke in his Duino Elegies. Though its walls have withstood centuries of storms, wars, and noble intrigues, one tale lingers more vividly than any written in the history books — the legend of the White Lady, a spirit trapped between grief and stone.

Rilke: René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke (4 December 1875 – 29 December 1926), known as Rainer Maria Rilke, was an Austrian poet and novelist. Duino Castle near Trieste, Austria, was where Rilke began writing the Duino Elegies in 1912, recounting that he heard the famous first line as a voice in the wind while walking along the cliffs and that he wrote it quickly in his notebook.

The Jealous Knight and the Locked Tower

Centuries ago, according to local lore, a powerful and cruel knight lived in the castle with his beautiful young wife and their infant son. Some sources give her the name Esterina da Portole. This version was told to Rainer Maria Rilke, who was a frequent guest to Duino Castle by his dear friend, Princess Marie of Thurn und Taxis.

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The knight was renowned for his wrath and his greed — and his unbearable jealousy. He was always in a fight with his enemies who plundered the village and his properties.

So striking was his wife’s beauty that he refused to allow anyone else to see her and he was terrified that some other noble would take her away. It was rumored that when he was away, they would try to get her to run away with them. But every time a suitor came, she rejected him, staying loyal to her husband, loving her captor despite it all. Each time he left on military campaigns or diplomatic missions, he would lock her away in a tower on the edge of the cliff, where no eyes but his own could admire her.

The woman, though imprisoned, bore her fate with quiet dignity. A model of patience and compassion, she spent her days tending to her child, singing lullabies through the high windows of her stone prison, gazing longingly at the sea below.

A Fatal Return and Divine Intervention

One fateful day, the knight returned from a long and grueling campaign. Weary, paranoid, and possessed by a wild suspicion that his wife had been unfaithful — despite her unwavering loyalty — he flew into a fit of uncontrollable rage. In his madness, he dragged her to the edge of the cliff and hurled her from the tower. In some versions he planned it all, lured her out to the cliffs and pushed her off. 

But the sea never claimed her.

According to legend, God took pity on the faithful woman, and before her body could be shattered on the rocks below, she was transformed into white stone — frozen mid-fall, her soul spared but not freed. Her grief was so great, her maternal longing so powerful, that even as her body became rock, her spirit remained trapped, condemned to search for her lost child for all eternity.

The Rock of the White Lady: Said to be the petrified stone of the lady of the castle, La Dama Bianca is said to wake up in the night and wander the old castle ruins. // Source: Flickr

The Wandering Ghost of Midnight

To this day, the locals of Duino whisper that at midnight, when the winds from the Adriatic stir the waves below the castle, the White Lady awakens, or La Dama Bianca di Duino as she is known in Italy. Her stone form detaches from the cliffside and takes on spectral life. It is said that she appears and disappears three times in the night. Cloaked in white, she wanders the halls of the old Duino Castle, her translucent figure searching every room, desperate to find her infant’s cradle.

Witnesses have described hearing soft footsteps in empty rooms, the sound of a mother weeping, and even lullabies drifting through the corridors on moonlit nights. Others tell of a Roman candle that is in a castle hall every night burns and crosses the salons until the doors open by themselves.

The apparition never speaks, but her anguish is palpable. And just before dawn, when the first light touches the cliffs, the Lady in White walks back to her ledge, turns once more to stone, and resumes her eternal vigil.

The Stone That Still Watches

In the stories told to Rilke, there is another version of how the rock was formed. This version describes a young princess named Duna, 13, who had “green eyes that look like the sea.” She fell in love with Rein, 15, a boy from a fishing village near Duino Castle. Her father, King Aquillio, opposed their romance, demanding that Rein sail into the sea in a storm. Forced to obey, Rein set out but never returned. Heartbroken, Duna went to the rocks below the castle to look for him, hoping he would come back. She stayed there so long, embracing a large rock, that she eventually turned to stone herself.

Castello Duino: Castle Duino with the ruins of the old castle in the background.

Tourists who visit Duino Castle today can still see the White Lady’s Rock or the Rocca della Dama Bianca. It’s a striking limestone outcrop that juts from the cliff just beneath the castle’s walls. From the sea, the rock’s form eerily resembles a robed woman mid-fall or mid-reach, her face lifted toward the fortress. Sailors and fishermen long claimed the figure protected them from storms, while others say it’s best not to look too long, lest the Lady’s sorrow follow you home. 

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References:

The White Lady

The White Lady Legend, Duino Castle, Trieste, Friuli Venezia Giulia

FOLKLORE: LA DAMA BIANCA

Duino Castle – Wikipedia

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The Headless Ghosts Haunting Dublin Castle

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Said to be haunted by headless prisoners who tried to capture Dublin Castle, this storied building has shadows lingering in the corners. 

Few places in Ireland carry as much history, blood, and shadow as Dublin Castle, or Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath, in the midst of the city. And if we are to believe the rumours, it is also said to house a few ghosts. 

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Built on the site of a Viking fortress and later serving as the seat of British power in Ireland for over 700 years, the castle has seen centuries of political intrigue, imprisonment, executions, and rebellion. With such a dark and turbulent past, you would definitely believe that it could be haunted, but the truth is, that it’s not often that Dublin Castle makes it on the top most haunted castles in Ireland.

The Headless Haunting of Dublin Castle

There are however a few ghost stories here as well though. The most chilling tales speak of the headless spirits of men who tried to storm the fortress long ago. What the battle and time someone tried to storm it is not really mentioned, but there are plenty of battles and sieges that have tried to take control over the castle.

According to this ghost legend, the prisoners of the attack were executed swiftly and without mercy, their remains were buried within the castle grounds. Locals and visitors alike claim that the headless dead have never truly left. Their spectral forms are said to wander the grounds in silence.

The Haunted Upper Yard

The Upper Yard is often spoken of as one of the most unsettling areas here as this was the location of the original medieval castle that stood before a huge fire burned it to the ground in the 1600s. Some visitors have described the uneasy feeling of being watched, while others claim to have glimpsed fleeting apparitions disappearing into the ancient stonework. 

There is also a building in the upper yard that is said to be haunted where the original motte-and-bailey castle was. Details are vague about the specific, but some think the haunting is a woman who is mourning her lover she lost in one of the many battles fought on this land. 

Other Ghost Stories

One particular haunting experience was told through Spiritedisle’ about a Garda sergeant who was stationed at Dublin Castle in the 1950s. One night the light went out by itself when he was alone in the dormitory. Then he heard something like coal being shoveled into the fire in the kitchen and went to check that he was truly alone. When entering, the room was empty, there was no coal in the fire and the shovel hadn’t moved at all. 

Today, Dublin Castle stands as a celebrated historical site and a major tourist attraction. Yet beneath the surface of grandeur and state occasions lingers the weight of all who suffered and died there and are perhaps even haunting it to this day. 

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Dublin Castle | Explore Haunted Ireland

The Paranormal Database – Dublin

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The Queen of Wildegg Castle and the Grave of Marie Louise St. Simon-Montleart in the Forest

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A true story morphed into a fairytale, the life and death of the French Countess Marie Louise St. Simon-Montleart has become the stuff of legends. Buried in the forest close to Wildegg Castle in Switzerland, it is said she is haunting the castle and the forest, her sanctuary.

High above the Aare River, perched on the Chäschtebärg hill near Möriken-Wildegg in the Swiss canton of Aargau, stands Wildegg Castle. With origins dating back to around 1200, built by the powerful Habsburgs, this proud fortress has witnessed centuries of wars, dynasties, and secrets. 

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Yet among its long and tangled history, one ghostly tale still lingers in the mists of local legend of an outsider who took sanctuary within the castle walls from the French Revolution. This is the story of the sorrowful queen, Marie Louise St. Simon-Montleart (1763-1804).

A Tale of Loneliness and Loss

They call her a queen of Wildegg Castle in the legends, but she was actually a French Countess. Long ago, Marie Louise lived at Wildegg Castle with her husband, according to legend, a king known more for his indulgence in hunting, carousing, and feasting than for any affection toward his wife. 

She was however married to Louis Marie de Montléart. Originally from Paris, she had fled to Switzerland after the French Revolution. It is however true that she was unhappy in their marriage. 

Marie Louise St. Simon-Montléart (1763-1804)

In Versailles at the French court, she became close friends with Baroness Sophie von Effinger, who was herself unhappily married and whose ancestral seat was at Wildegg Castle. As the French Revolution ravaged the French Court and Paris, she fled to her friend who took her in as the battle went on. She was accompanied by another Duchess, but it’s unsure if her husband even followed her. 

As the legend goes however, her husband neglected the countess, leaving her to wander the vast and shadowed forests surrounding the castle, seeking solace among the ancient trees. Around the Wildegg Castle as her own country went up in flames in the bloody revolution. 

The forest, wild and eternal, became her only refuge. It’s said that within its depths, she found peace from her sorrows, the trees whispering comfort to her heavy heart. There, far from the noise of courtly revels, she is believed to have breathed her final breath. 

During a later visit to Wildegg in 1804, Marie Louise St. Simon-Montléar died of tuberculosis. As her spirit left her body, a mournful rustling wind swept through the forest, carrying away the last traces of her grief.

The King’s Guilt and a Haunting Memorial

According to the legend of her being the queen of the castle, her husband was overcome with guilt for his neglect, and is said to have built a grand tomb for his lost queen deep within the castle grounds, near her beloved woods. This part is not true, but her grave does really sit in the nearby forest.

The simple rectangular gravestone bears the inscription written by Count von Redern of Bernsdorf : 

“Here rests, after the storm of life, a noble woman. Marie Louise St. Simon-Montléart, born in Paris on October 12, 1763, died in Wildegg on June 21, 1804. She was born a violet among thorns and thistles. She fought courageously against bitter misfortune from early childhood to her grave. She died peacefully among friends, happily sensing a higher destiny, for her actions were just and her words true.” 

Count von Redern was the business partner of her brother Henri Claude and had accompanied her from Montpellier to Wildegg Castle.

The Forest Grave: The forest grave of Countess Marie Louise St. Simon-Montléar near Wildegg Castle. // Source: Michael Frey & Sundance Raphael / Wikimedia.

To this day, visitors claim to feel a strange, uneasy presence when approaching the grave. On still nights, when the wind stirs the branches and the leaves sigh like whispered words, many say it’s the queen’s restless spirit, forever roaming the forest she loved.

In time, nature reclaimed the resting place, dense trees and creeping vines entwining it as though fulfilling Marie Louise’s unspoken wish to forever be part of the forest. The grave inspired Walter Fähndrich when he wrote “Music for a Forest Grave” in 2001 and The 15-minute piece begins at the time of local sunset from loudspeakers in the vicinity of the grave.

The Girl and the Ghosts

There is another ghostly legend retold by El Rochholz: Swiss Legends from Aargau from 1856 about a girl seeing a ghost around Wildegg Castle. It is said that all those born around midnight on Lent are capable of seeing spirits. But if they keep silent about what they last saw for 24 hours, no ghosts can harm them. There was such a child in the village of Holderbank.

Once upon a time a girl and her colleagues were walking home from work at Wildegg Castle to Holderbank village. It was between 10 or 11 o’clock. As she was crossing, over the mountain to their village, a man dressed in green and armed with a rifle suddenly stepped into her path. She immediately changed her route and after a long detour, she reached her house by 1 o’clock. 

The other girls that had been walking with her, didn’t know where she had gone and had already spread the word that she had been shot by a huntsman. She didn’t say a word about it. 

Later, as she was on her way from Holderbank to Saffenwil as a bride, a small black dog ran between them. She immediately crossed to the other side of the road, evading once more the spirits she could see. And despite all her fiancés’ questions as to why she was leaving him, she failed to answer him for a full 24 hours, believing the legend about not saying a word after seeing ghosts. 

A Castle of Secrets

Wildegg Castle, with its commanding view of the Aare and its centuries of layered history, remains one of Switzerland’s most atmospheric historic sites. Though the Effinger family, the castle’s last noble residents, passed away in 1912 and the property now belongs to the Canton of Aargau, echoes of its haunted past still cling to its stones.

And on certain misty evenings, as the wind stirs the trees on the Chäschtebärg, one might sense a faint rustle — and wonder if it is merely the wind… or Marie Louise St. Simon-Montleart still walking among her trees.

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References:

Hier spukt es: Unheimliche Orte in der Schweiz | WEB.DE

Schloss Wildegg – Alemannische Wikipedia

Das Fraufastenkind und die Hasenpfoten – Schloss Wildegg

Marie Louise St. Simon-Montléart – Wikipedia 

https://www.fairyhills.com/waldtreu.htm

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The Burgträppe-Balzli Haunting: The Ghost of Nydegg Castle

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Where the Nydegg Church is today, there once used to be a castle. Tales about ghosts lingering around the old Nydegg Castle and the stairs leading up to it still roams. And one of the more infamous and feared ghosts of Bern is the Burgträppe-Balzli.

High above the bend of the Aare River in Bern, where ancient cobbled alleys twist through the heart of the Old City, lies the Nydegg, an old district with centuries-old bones and whispers of things best left in the past. 

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Though today the area bustles with the charm of a medieval town center, one shadow remains darker than the rest: that of Burgträppe-Balzli, the ghostly scourge said to haunt the ruined stairway of the once-mighty Nydeggburg Castle.

Burgtreppe in Bern: Castle stairs from Mattenenge to Nydegghöfli. // Source

A Castle Lost, but Not Forgotten

Nydegg Castle stood at the eastern tip of Bern’s Zähringerstadt, the city’s oldest neighborhood, founded in 1191. Built as a stronghold to watch over the Aare River and secure Bern’s eastern flank.

Nydegg Castle: Built by Berchtold IV of Zähringen (second half of the 12th century). The extent of the town founded by Berchtold V is also disputed: either the first castle reached as far as Kreuzgasse in 1191 and was extended at the beginning of the 13th century by a second castle roughly where the choir of Nydegg Church is today. After the destruction of Nydegg Castle (1268?), the (Nydegg) Stalden was created.

By 1268, the Nydeggburg Castle had met a mysterious and decisive end, destroyed with little fanfare or record. The Bernese demolished the castle to make room for the Nydegg Quarter and to prevent any claims by other noble families after the Zähringen family was conquered. In a charter dated January 16, 1274, King Rudolf I of Habsburg forgave the city of Bern for the destruction of the castle. 

Read more: Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen Haunting the Old Town in Bern

In its place rose homes, workshops, and busy water-powered mills that soon filled the air with the grinding and creaking of early industry. Also the Nydegg Church was built on the site. 

The Gruesome Ghost of the Burgträppe

Locals call him Burgträppe-Balzli, and his tale has been whispered down generations and is perhaps one of the more well known ghosts from Bern. He is no ordinary phantom and is said to be strange, bitter, and even violent, Balzli seems to choose his victims carefully. According to legend, he doesn’t go after the women at all, but men walking up and down the stairs claim to have been beaten by some unseen force. 

Burgtreppe: Castle stairs at Nydegg Church // Source

But who is this ghost said to still linger in the stairs? Did he have connections to the castle that once stood there? Did something terrible happen on the stairs that he is now trying to get back at? 

Whatever the truth, his rage is eternal. On cold winter nights, passersby near the stairway report hearing echoing thumps like fists pounding stone and the sudden appearance of bruises on the bodies of those who dared tread too close.

Ghostly Builders in the Night

Balzli is not alone in his haunting the area around Nydegg and where the castle once was. Witnesses have reported hearing ghostly craftsmen from older times. They are heard hammering, dragging stone, and dismantling invisible walls. These apparitions appear on bitter winter nights, just when the fog off the Aare is thick.

Ruins of a Castle: Not much remains from the old castle. Landing gate of Nydegg Castle in Bern, around 1300. // Source.

According to legend, these ghosts are the restless spirits of the workers who tore down the castle in 1268, cursed to repeat their demolition for eternity. 

So, if you find yourself wandering the Nydegg at night, mind the stairway. Avoid the shadows clinging to the stones. And if you hear footsteps behind you on the stairs, don’t stop and don’t turn around.

Just keep walking

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    Join a haunted pub crawl through Dublin’s ancient streets for ghosts and a pint of Guinness. From plotting revolutionaries to somber writers, these pubs and bars are said to be a place where some of the patrons have been lingering for a long time.
  • The Utburd of Børholmen and Erika Larsdatter Bogen: A Haunting and Scam That Reached the Courtroom
    In 1852, the alleged psychic Erika Larsdatter Bogen, arrived at Børholmen, a small island in western Norway. She claimed that she had found the ghost and corpse of the dead child, and she named the mother who allegedly buried it. But what was the truth?
  • Most Haunted Places in Ireland
    Ghostly whispers in the old castle ruins, soldiers haunting the bloody battlefields and even the drums of pagan druids still lingering, Ireland is certainly a haunted country. This is only a small portion of the most haunted places in Ireland and the ghost stories behind them.
  • The Brown Clad Man Haunting Sande Old Vicarage
    Who is the ghostly priest in brown, haunting the old Vicarage in Sande? Legend says he still carries guilt for the young boy he failed that had tragic consequences.
  • El Dip: The Catalan Vampire Hound
    In the rural mountainside in Catalonia, Spain, there have long been talk about a vampiric beast of a hound that has tormented the livestock and the unfortunate person walking outside after dark. Could this legend be the one where other iberian vampire legends sprung from?
  • The Haunting of Caerphilly Castle – The Lady in Green and the Hag of Death
    A story of doomed lovers and haunted ivy leaves, the Lady in Green is said to haunt Caerphilly Castle in Wales together with the spirit of Gwrach-y-Rhibyn, wailing as an omen of death.
  • The Haunted Tunnels of Hegra Fortress
    After the battles during world war two, Hegra Fortress was a place that became known to withstand the Germans, although they too in the end had to raise the white flag. After the war, people started to believe that one of the fallen soldiers was still there, wandering the deep and damp tunnels.
  • Wolfe Tone Square: The Hanging Judge Who Could Not Rest
    In a cemetery turned into a public park, the Wolfe Tone Square is said to be haunted by John Toler, one of Ireland’s most haunted man and remembered as the Hanging Judge.
  • The Cabin Caretaker Still at the Mountain
    The old cabin high on Hardangervidda, Norway is said to be haunted by its very first caretaker. But although Krækkja DNT cabin is said to be his eternal home, it seems like the more people visiting, the more he retreats to the plateau.
  • Guajona: The Blood-Thirsty Entity of Iberian Folklore
    Preying on the blood of the young one, the vampiric Guajona from northern Spain is said to stalk the villages and valleys in Cantabria, thirsting for blood.

References:

Burgenwelt – Nydegg – Schweiz

Burg Nydegg – Wikipedia 

Die Burg des Stadtgründers – Historisches Bern 

Geisterstadt Bern – SWI swissinfo.ch 

Diese Geister spuken durch die Gassen und Häuser der Stadt