The best gravel rides around Pfakofen

Parking fees apply, but there is no entrance fee for swimming in the lake

Beautiful place on the loop, with colorful houses on the market square.

Interesting tree-lined avenue in the open field

Back of old castle house

Beautifully designed castle park in Eglofsheim

Alteglofsheim Castle The name comes from the Eglofsheim family. Since the 10th century there has been a moated castle here with an associated manor. The castle was rebuilt and expanded several times over the centuries. From 1480 to 1573 the Barons of Parsberg owned the castle and manor. In 1659 Johann Georg Baron von Königsfeld bought the Alteglofsheim estate. In 1685 he became an Imperial Count. In his will in 1694 he left the estate to his grandson Hans Georg Graf von Königsfeld. He was the Minister of State and Conference of Elector Karl Albrecht and First Minister during his time as Emperor. From 1728 to 1734 he had the castle significantly expanded and refurbished. His successor Count Christian Johann August von Königsfeld, Elector's ambassador in Vienna, added the north wing of the castle with the magnificent dining room in 1780. In 1810 the Königsfelder family died out. The Barons of Cetto followed as owners, and in 1835 Prince Maximilian Karl von Thurn und Taxis acquired the castle. The Princes of Thurn und Taxis sold it to a priest in 1939, and it later went to his housekeeper. The war and post-war period led to the castle being used for other purposes, and it fell into increasing disrepair. In 1973 the Free State of Bavaria acquired it and made it available to the University of Regensburg in 1980. In 1989 the castle was designated as the location for the third Bavarian Music Academy. Construction work began in 1992. The Music Academy began operations here in June 1999. After extensive renovations and refurbishments the castle was handed over to its new purpose in September 2000. The late Gothic core of the complex with the 35-meter-high keep in the west dates from the beginning of the 14th century. It towers over the high gable of a building with two round flanking towers from the early 17th century. Around 1680, a wing with a two-aisled chapel in the basement was leaning against it in the south. Around 1730, it was extended to the west after the south-north wing had been started at a right angle to it. Elaborate ceiling frescoes by the Asam brothers and elegant stucco ceilings created by Johann Baptist Zimmermann adorn the castle. Tours of the castle are only possible for groups by prior arrangement. Source: Excerpts from www.wikipedia.de

Köfering Castle The first moated castle on the Pfatter was probably built in the 12th century. The Köfering family was first mentioned in the middle of the 12th century. Around 1300, the castle was owned by Eckprecht von Haidau, who gave it to the Bishopric of Regensburg in 1307 in order to receive it as a fief from the bishop. Other owners of the castle were Otto Zenger, Albrecht von Abensberg, Heinrich Nothaft von Mangolding and Scheuer. In 1427, Dietrich von Stauf took over the castle in Köfering by exchange. On December 26, 1491, the Köfering fortress was besieged and destroyed by the Bavarian Duke Albrecht IV with 1,000 soldiers during the Löwler League uprising, in which the castle owner Hieronymus von Stauf took part. The Counts of Lerchenfeld have owned the moated castle since 1569. The castle was damaged in the Thirty Years' War and rebuilt in its current form from 1680 to 1720. Renovation began in 1980/81. The moated castle is an irregular, baroque, three-storey three-wing complex with mansard hipped roofs, an entrance projection with portal, ground floor arcades and a staircase with a mansard hipped roof. The White Hall with inlaid parquet and the chapel are worth seeing. The castle complex consists of a central projection, to which only a north wing is connected. To the west there is another wing with protruding corner projections, and to the south the one-storey former stable building is attached. A three-arched stone bridge leads over the walled moat, which is still preserved, and is the only access to the castle. Source: Excerpts from www.wikipedia.de

St. Wolfgang's Oak - Neueglofsheim The St. Wolfgang's Oak stands near Schloss Haus, near Neueglofsheim. The oak stands in a meadow next to a dirt road. It is one of the largest oaks in Bavaria. A horizontal branch has been supported by wooden posts towards the dirt road for over 100 years. In 1905, the trunk circumference was 8 m at a height of 1 m. According to legend, Saint Wolfgang preached eloquently from this branch. The monumental trunk is very irregular and has strong growths in the lower area. On one side, the trunk has an oval opening that comes from a branch breaking a long time ago. The oak burned in 1878 and 1909. In 1909, it burned on St. Wolfgang's Day. The crown is formed by a few, quite large branches. Holes can be seen everywhere in the branches, which come from smaller branches that have broken off. The vitality is still quite good considering the relatively old age of the oak. Height: 385 m above sea level Tree species: Pedunculate oak Age: around 500 years Chest height: 9.80 m Waist circumference: 9.03 m Height of the tree: 18 m Crown diameter: 15 m Year of measurements: 2021 Source: www.monumentale-eichen.de