How long does it take to hike up to Burg Arnstein?

About 40 minutes from the Buschmühle in the Kirnitzsch valley.

Is Burg Arnstein easy to access?

No, the final approach involves steps and ladders on a steep path, so reasonable fitness is needed.

What remains of Burg Arnstein today?

Beam sockets, steps cut into the rock, a dungeon, a cistern and a cave showing traces of shaping and carvings.

Why is Burg Arnstein called the robber castle?

Local legend tells of its last knight, who lived by plunder before being executed on the wheel near the site.

Can Burg Arnstein be visited year round?

It is an open-air site reached freely via hiking trails, with no fixed opening hours.

Burg Arnstein

Sebnitz

Visit

Hours to be confirmed

Where: Sebnitz

Hours and prices not verified at the source yet.

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

Burg Arnstein (Sachsen) stands in Sebnitz (Landkreis Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge), in Saxony, Germany. Its opening hours and prices have not been verified at the source yet.

Burg Arnstein is the ruin of a rock castle above the Kirnitzsch valley in Saxon Switzerland, near Sebnitz. Visitors can still make out beam sockets, stone steps cut into the rock, a dungeon, a cistern and a cave bearing traces of shaping and rock carvings. Built in the 14th and early 15th centuries, it was destroyed in 1451 after years of feuding, and locals still call it the Ottendorf robber castle.

What to know

The most convenient starting point is the Buschmühle in the Kirnitzsch valley, from where a marked trail leads up to the rock in about 40 minutes.
The final climb follows an unmarked but signposted path with numerous steps and ladders, requiring a reasonable level of fitness.
Marked trails also lead to the site from the villages of Ottendorf and Saupsdorf.
This is an open-air ruin with no roofed building or visitor reception on site.
There are no fixed opening days or hours, as access is free along the hiking paths.

Where this château is

Sebnitz · Landkreis Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge · Sachsen

Map of the area around Burg Arnstein (Sachsen)

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Ottendorf, 01855 Sebnitz

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

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Heritage status: Protection status unknown

In pictures

Frequently asked

How long does it take to hike up to Burg Arnstein?: About 40 minutes from the Buschmühle in the Kirnitzsch valley.
Is Burg Arnstein easy to access?: No, the final approach involves steps and ladders on a steep path, so reasonable fitness is needed.
What remains of Burg Arnstein today?: Beam sockets, steps cut into the rock, a dungeon, a cistern and a cave showing traces of shaping and carvings.
Why is Burg Arnstein called the robber castle?: Local legend tells of its last knight, who lived by plunder before being executed on the wheel near the site.
Can Burg Arnstein be visited year round?: It is an open-air site reached freely via hiking trails, with no fixed opening hours.