The unmistakable silhouette of the castle town can be seen from afar on the way to Stolpen. This leisurely walk starts at the car park of Stolpen Castle between Birkenweg and Schützenhofstraße (bus stop Ärztehaus).With Stolpen Castle as your destination, you first walk up Bischofswerdaer Straße to Stolpen market square. As you cross the market square, you can already see the spire of the town church, which you reach via Kirchgasse on a short path. Behind the town church on Promenadenweg, you will immediately notice the towering basalt columns that are so typical of the castle town.The Stolpen basalt is a geological natural monument of outstanding importance. It also characterises the external appearance of the castle and many of the town's buildings in which it was used as a building stone. A fortification built entirely from basalt stone, such as Stolpen, is a special architectural feature. The local columnar basalt is one of the best-known volcanic rock deposits in the Saxon-Bohemian region.From here, the trail continues in the footsteps of Caspar David Friedrich along the park promenade, a tranquil path through the castle park below the castle complex. On one of the cosy park benches, you will find peace and quiet for some romantic thoughts and a little relaxation. In the castle tower on the left, you can also see the Cosel Tower, which Caspar David Friedrich used as a motif for his drawing of 27 August 1820.
At the end of the park promenade, a visit to Stolpen Castle is the perfect way to round off this walk. The entrance to the castle complex is located above the Schloshotel Stolpen. You can then return to the starting point via Schlossstraße and Bischofswerdaer Straße.
