Ferienwohnung Villa Burgblick Falkenstein Castle Summer Festival The Hunting Museum The White Lady of Falkenstein


Falkenstein castle is surrounded by the nature and rock reserve
Falkenstein Castle Summer Festival "Die Kammerspiele im Landkreis Cham" The Millennium year 2000 brought as well the 25^th anniversary of the Falkenstein Castle Summer Festival, meaning 25 years of successful theatre. It all started in 1976, when the town could celebrate its 900^th anniversary and a summary of its history, especially written for this occasion, was put on stage. Already in its second year "real" theatre (as in well-known plays) was performed. In the ambitious young assistant director of the Regensburg Municipal Theatre - Detlef Meierjohann - the Falkensteiners had found the right person to challenge the company (all "natives" and strictly amateurs) to give their best. "The Three Musketeers" was a tremendous success, establishing the festival's fame which still, year after year, attracts a huge audience. Meierjohann directed the festival for ten years, staging such unsurpassable plays as "The Taming of the Shrew", "Whitsun Organ", "Die deutschen Kleinstädter", "Servant of two Lords", and the public's absolute favorite, "Der Brandner Kasper und das ewig Leben", which had to be performed three times in a row to satisfy the tremendous demand. Those outstanding performances and their success helped Meierjohann in his career. Today he is the director of the Hamburg Opera. He was succeeded by Herbert Müller ("Lumpazivagabundus"), Werner Ahlers ("Kreuzelschreiber") until Johannes Reitmeier, the incumbent director of the "Southeastern Bavarian Cities Theatre, took over for the next seven years. Among his successes we find such pleasant yet challenging performances as "der bayerische Jedermann", "Das Wirtshaus im Spessart" und "Tartüff", until his assistant, Norman Warmuth, continued with "Der Alpenkönig und der Menschenfeind". When Mr. Warmuth as well got ahead professionally, the Falkensteiners had to search for a new director. They found her in Rachel Teear (of British origins), assistant director in Regensburg. With"Cyrano Bergerac" she gave already in 1999 proof of her great artistical abilities and continued her success in 2000 with Nestroy's "Einen Jux will er sich machen". .We shouldn't forget the actors, who obviously are responsible as well for the festival's continuous success and its good reputation. They are still strictly amateurs, all inhabitants of Falkenstein and its surrounding villages, and come from all stratas of society. Hairdressers, bankers, students, housewives - in the evenings everybody is busy studying his or her text, so as not "to get stuck" on the opening night. There are not many in the small market town who have not - at one time or another- been involved in the festival. Still, the company is always on the lookout for new actors, because there are always some who have to leave (for the most various reasons) and roles have to be recast. The incumbent district administrator Theo Zollner called the Falkenstein Festival "the queen of festivals in the county". Such praise obviuosly pleases the actors, but it shows as well that its purpose -namely to perform world literature on an amateur stage - has been met - and very successfully at that. 3500 visitors who year after year mark this date on their calender bear witness to this.. look at: Falkensteiner Burghofspiele


View from the tower
Falkenstein Castle In the year 1074 Bishop Tuto of Regensburg built the castle, whose ownership changed from ecclesiastical to mundane hands various times during its more than 900 years of existence. In 1967 Prince Johannes von Thurn und Taxis donated the castle to the market town of Falkenstein, which undertook the renovation and restoration of the castle and converted part of it into a guest house. Apart from enjoying the panoramic view from the tower, cultural entertainment during the Festival, and gastronomic delights, we suggest a visit of the Hunting Museum.

The Castletower
The Hunting Museum The trophies and stuffed animals there not only bring nature closer to us humans, but also explain the connection between the hunt and culture. The "History of Hunting" shows the development of weapons as well as of customs over the centuries, obviously including falconry. In addition, yearly changing special exhibitions allow interesting glimpses into special details of nature and hunting. Open:: .......................June to September.......Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday 1pm - 5pm ......................October to May ..........Saturdays and Sundays 1pm - 4pm Entrance fees:: ...............................Usual..................Reduced price Adults ................................2,00 Euro ..................1,75 Euro Children (6-15 yrs) .............1,00 Euro .......... Reductions apply to visitors with Visitor's Pass, groups of mor than ten persons, disabled people. If groups wish for a guided tour of the castle, there is no reduction. Group tours are available on request (and independent from the official opening times) . During November the museum is closed.

Evening view from the Holiday Apartment to the iluminated castle
The White Lady of Falkenstein The farmer's wife and daily labourer Mrs. Danner always used the daylight to the full to work, so it often happened that it was quite dark when she went home to Falkenstein. She used the "Parksteig" underneath the Klausenrock, and more than once she had seen the White Lady, who normally only appeared in the castle at midnight. Mrs Danner always had a ready prayer on her lips for her, hoping that one day that poor woman would finally find eternal peace and rest. Mrs Danner obviously was not afraid of the ghost, but rather pitied her. So one day the lady told her that if she encountered the dog with the glowing eyes she should retrieve the key form its mouth because it was the key to a treasure chest. Mrs Danner prtly was eager to meet the dog, partly she was very much afraid of it. When one day she crossed the park again at a very late hour, her heart almost stopped beating. Right in front of her a huge dog had materialised, his eyes glowing brightly in the dark. In his mouth he had the key, but her fear was so great that she did not dare touch it. That is why the treasure in the castle has remained undisturbed until today.