The Schloss Kaltenberg is a castle in the village of Geltendorf, currently owned by Prince Lutipold of Bavaria, the great-grandson of the last Bavarian king Ludwig III. The original castle was built in 1292 by Rudolf I, future Duke of Upper Bavaria. It was destroyed during a family feud in 1320, rebuilt in 1425, destroyed again by the Swedish in 1633, and then rebuilt once more. In 1870, the castle was renovated in its present neo-Gothic style.
In 1955, the Schloss Kaltenberg was purchased by Princess Irmingard of Bavaria, including the brewery operating in the castle. In 1976, Irmingard’s son Lutipold took over the brewery and started looking for ways to promote its products. Inspired by a reenactment of a knights’ tournament he saw near the Tower of London, Prince Lutipold decided to host a similar tournament in the castle to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the House of Wittelsbach.
The inaugural Kaltenberg Knights’ Tournament was held on June 15, 1980; it featured 16 knights from England. In the second year, a market square was added, and the program of the tournament was expanded to include stage entertainment. The festival has been growing ever since, eventually becoming one of the most anticipated events in the region.
The Kaltenberg Knights’ Tournament is held over three weekends in July. There are daytime shows on Saturdays and Sundays and evening shows on Fridays and Saturdays. The tournament itself is performed at the main arena by professional stuntmen and has a framework story that changes every year, usually focusing on the battle between good and evil. Stunt teams participating in the tournament have years of experience behind them, and their performances are a sight to behold. Each tournament is preceded by a parade of participants and an opening ceremony conducted by Prince Lutipold of Bavaria.
Before and after the tournament, there is a supporting entertainment program featuring musicians, dancers, jugglers, storytellers, jesters, fire dancers, and other performers – more than a thousand in total! The program of the first evening of the festival includes a special acrobatic performance called Jester’s Night.
Like most historical reenactment festivals, the Kaltenberger Ritterturnier also has a medieval market where artisans sell their arts and crafts, as well as conduct workshops for the public. The market is the best place to get some unique gifts for your friends and family (and, of course, something for yourself!), as well as try culinary delicacies like mead and Schweinshaxe (roasted pork knuckles) from food stalls.
The cost of tickets varies depending on how close to the arena the seats are. In addition to tickets that include admission and a seat for the arena show, there are less expensive tickets that include admission to the grounds but do not include seats. With these tickets, you get access to most of entertainment (the parade, the concerts, the market) and can watch the arena show from a distance.
Photo: ritterturnier.de
