Kaltenberg Knights' Tournament

The Kaltenberger Ritterturnier (Knights’ Tournament) annually draws around 120,000 visitors. Tickets to this jousting tournament and medieval market are reasonably priced. Transportation to Kaltenberg in Bavaria, Southern Germany, is relatively easy by car or train from Munich (München) or Augsburg.

The Knights’ Tournament in Kaltenberg is hosted by Prince Luitpold of Bavaria who claims it is the largest jousting tournament in modern times. In addition to the jousting itself, the event is enhanced by a medieval market, arts and crafts demonstrations, and medieval shows, music, and trick riding.

Opening Hours of the Kaltenberger Ritterturnier

The Knights’ Tournament at Kaltenberg is staged on the first four weekends of July – usually on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The event can be either during the day (Tagesveranstaltung) or at night (Abendveranstaltung) – the evening shows are more spectacular.

For day performances, the grounds are open from 11 am to 8 pm with the two-hour main show and jousting tournament starting at 3:30 pm. For night performances, the grounds are open from 4 pm to just past midnight with the jousting tournament at 8 pm.

• On a Gauklernacht (Jesters’ Night), the ground are open from 6 pm to 2 am but no jousting tournament is held.

Tickets for the Kaltenberger Ritterturnier

Tickets for the Knights’ Tournament at Kaltenberg are available through online reservation agencies with a surcharge or directly at the gate, if still available. All tickets gives admission to all areas of the medieval market and all shows – the only difference is in the seat allocation inside the lists or main arena.

• The jousting tournament is an open-air event and staged come rain or shine. The odds for rain in July are around 15%.

The just over 12,000 tickets available for each tournament are divided into:

• Geländekarten (Area Tickets) are the cheapest at less than €20 and are for standing places at the back of the arena.
• Sitzplatzkarten (Tickets with Reserved Seats) are the majority of the tickets available and priced (€22 to €36) according to the location of the reserved seat.
• Loggiakarten (Box Seats) are available in very limited numbers and the only seats with roof cover. These are priced around €50 and do not qualify for any discounts.

Admission to a Gauklernacht is €21.

Note the following with regards to ticket prices and general admission:

• Children from 6 to 15 receive €5 discount (€10 on designated family days).
• Children under six are admitted free with no seat although organizers do point out that children of this age is more likely to find the tournament frightening than entertaining.
• Wheelchair users are admitted for free.
• In contrast to common practice at other medieval markets in Germany, no discounts are given to visitors in medieval dress. (Officially this is to prevent delays and arguments at the entry gates – “No, sorry madam, that dress is already early Renaissance!”)
• No medieval swords or any other weapons (fake or real) are allowed on the premises.

Transportation to the Kaltenberger Ritterturnier

The Knights’ Tournament at Kaltenberg is held at Schloss Kaltenberg Castle around 50 km (30 miles) from Munich (München) near Landsberg and Augsburg. Kaltenberg is easily reached by car or rail from Munich.

• By Rail from Munich to the Kaltenberger Jousting Tournament

The simplest way to Kaltenberg is by train to Geltendorf station and then by special shuttle bus to the castle.

To get to Geltendorf, take from München Hauptbahnhof (Munich Main Station) either the S-Bahn train S8 bound for Geltendorf or a Regional Express (RE) towards Buchloe. Up to four trains per hour are available with the cheaper S8 taking 42 minutes and the RE 30 minutes from Munich to Geltendorf.

The last return trains to Munich leaves Geltendorf around midnight. (Further S8 trains depart from Geltendorf just before 2 am and 4 am.)

A shuttle bus is available from Geltendorf station to the castle. The bus starts running an hour before the ground open but does not run while the main show is in progress. Return buses run from immediately after the main show.

• By Car to the Kaltenberger Jousting Tournament

Driving to Kaltenberg is a sensible option as sufficient parking spots (around 5,500) are available. As the castle is on small country roads, traffic jams generally occur before and after the jousting tournament making early arrivals sensible. Simply follow the “Ritterturnier” signs once off the main roads.

• From Munich, take the Autobahn A96 towards Landsberg and Lindau. Use exit 28 (Windach) towards Geltendorf.
• From Augsburg, follow the B17 towards Landsberg and turn left in Klosterlechfeld towards Schwabstadt.

The Kaltenberger Ritterturnier with its jousting tournament, shows, trick riding, and medieval market may only be a romanticized version of life and indeed a jousting tournament in the Middle Ages but it does provide spectacular entertainment.

Entry of the Knights at Kaltenberg

Direction to Schloss Kaltenberg Castle, Germany

The Black Knight at Kaltenberg

Jousting (Tjoste) at Kaltenberger Ritterturnier

Jousting (Tjoste) at Kaltenberger Ritterturnier

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