Waxenberg: Castle History, Hiking Trails and Knights’ Festival

Waxenberg combines castle history with marked hiking trails, the Waxenberg Knights’ Festival and a seasonal outdoor pool. When planning your trip, it is worth considering these themes separately: the history relates to the castle and chapel, while the hiking options mainly differ in route type and surface. This lets you decide in advance whether culture, hiking or a seasonal swimming option should be the deciding factor for your stay.

Castle History and Cultural Events

Waxenberg Castle Chapel was built around 1645 by Conrad Balthasar von Starhemberg and is dedicated to Saint Joseph. It has served as a parish church since 1785. Waxenberg Castle was built in the 17th century. The castle’s construction and the chapel’s history as a parish church therefore mark different points in time.

The Waxenberg Knights’ Festival features a medieval market, staged battles, medieval music, dance performances and historic crafts. The program may vary from one edition to another. If you are planning your visit around a particular event, check the dates and program for your travel dates.

Waxenberg Castle is available for cultural events, though specific programs may change. The castle is also a popular venue for civil and church weddings. If you are considering holding a wedding there, confirm the arrangements directly with the venue. The Waxenberg Knights’ Games are suitable for family celebrations, company parties and club outings.

Hiking Trails by Route and Surface

Waxenberg has more than 50 kilometers of marked hiking trails. Since availability and trail markings may change over time, check the latest information before setting out. Two of the described trails differ particularly in their route type and surface.

The 3-Castle Hiking Trail starts and ends in Waxenberg. It leads to Lobenstein Castle Ruins and Piberstein Castle, then returns to Waxenberg. The surface is 50 percent asphalt and 50 percent gravel or natural ground. This gives you a clear indication of the terrain when planning your hike.

The Hubertus Loop is a short, scenic circular forest trail around Waxenberg Castle Ruins and consists entirely of natural ground. Compared with the 3-Castle Hiking Trail, the main difference is the surface: the latter alternates between asphalt and gravel or natural ground, while the entire loop is natural ground. The Stone Ship is a point of interest along the Hubertus Loop.

Keep and Seasonal Outdoor Pool

A 22-meter-high keep stands on Waxenberg’s local mountain. From there, you can see an Alpine panorama stretching over 250 kilometers. This structure brings together history and views of the landscape.

Waxenberg outdoor pool is solar-heated and has a water slide. It is a seasonal summer facility, so bear this in mind if an outdoor pool is part of your travel plans. Together with the hiking trails and cultural attractions, it gives Waxenberg a range of options for planning a trip, without reducing the destination to a single focus.

For the broader travel overview: Oberneukirchen.