Thread by @MikeStuchbery_

Now, here's some Halloween content for you: If you know anything about my part of Germany - Baden-Württemberg - you can't throw a rock without hitting a burg (castle), schloss (palace) or kloster (monastery).

If there's one thing that they *all* seem to have, it's a ghost... /1

In fact, I wonder whether it's some kind of by-law historic monuments here in Baden-Württemberg have a terrifying apparition.

The department @Schloesser_BaWu looks after these properties. I think they need an Office of Spectral Management.

I mean, consider the following... /2

Here in Stuttgart, we've got an old castle and a new palace - the Altes Schloss and the Neue Schloss. Stuttgarters built Duke Karl-Eugen the second when he threatened to leave the city in the 18th century.

Funnily enough, it's the Neue Schloss that has the spook... /3

When Swabians commit to something, they go hard - as does the ghost of the Neue Schloss. She emerges from the crypt of the Stiftskirche & lurches to the Neue Schloss (400 - 500m?) every time a Württemberger scion is about to die.

Not so many of them around now, however... /4

Despite the Neue Schloss being built, Duke Karl-Eugen built himself a massive palace over in nearby Ludwigsburg. Hell, he built a town, so he could build the palace.

It's now a big tourist draw, beautifully capturing the spirit of his age - and something else... /5

Despite nothing really terrible happening there - considered something of a haunting prerequisite - people have reported weird apparitions and sensations.

The most famous story involves a 19th century soldier being slapped around by an unseen force, prompting doubled guards. /6

Not too far from Stuttgart - a leisurely drive, and you find Burg Wäscherschloss. This castle dates back to the time of the Staufer dynasty - former powerful ruling warlords.

It's been used for many things over the centuries, including to hold prisoners... /7

The local legend tells of one of these prisoners, who was deathly ill. He had struck up a repartee with one of his gaolers, and as he lay dying, the gaoler asked him to visit him from beyond the grave and describe the afterlife.

Dutifully he did - he said it was satisfactory! /8

South-west of Stuttgart, and further away, you find the ruins of the Hochburg bei Emmedingen. This is a medieval castle, massively expanded after the Reformation to protect the Margraves of Baden.

Seems it has a bit of a defensive wraith too... /9

For centuries, local legends have told of a beautiful woman (again, in white), who sits by a window (even if there is no floor) and entices passerbys to speak with her - they're then never seen again.

Don't say I didn't warn you! /10

Even further south-west, Burg Rötteln is a 13th century castle that again passed into the hands of the ruling Margraves of Baden.

I'm not gonna lie to you, it has a remarkably similar legend to the Hochburg bei Emmendingen - is there such thing as a standard-issue ghost? /11

The legend of Burg Rötteln goes that there was a local noblewoman who worked her people half to death building the castle, even as they had to harvest their own crops.

Of course, now she can't rest in death, and nocturnal visitors are in danger of working for her... forever! /12

Way to the north of Burg Rötteln, just south of Karlsruhe, the ruins of Alte Schloss Hohenbaden mix things up a little.

This early seat of the Margraves of Baden is supposedly the home of a wandering *grey* lady, and she has a very sad tale... /13

Showing her kid the lands he was t inherit (Think 'Lion King'), a medieval Margravine is said to have dropped her son from the battlements. His remains were never found.

Therefore, every night, it is said, se continues to scour the ruins, mad with grief. /14

HEY! IT'S NOT ALL WHITE LADIES, HOWEVER! We got GHOST MONKS!

The monastery at Salem - Kloster Salem - was hugely influential in the middle ages, but its fortunes steadily declined after the Reformation.

Made decent wine all the way through, though... /15

...and that's how we get our ghost monk!

See, sometime in the medieval period, one of the brothers decided his daily portion of ref wasn't enough, and ventured to the cellar to drink from an enormous barrel.

Spoilers: He drowned in the plonk. /16

Now, he's said to wander the cellars - whether this is because they fished him out and drank the wine anyway, or whether it's because the cellars were his favourite place in the world, I cannot say. /17

Another ghost of the cloth is said to reside at Kloster Wiblingen near Ulm, and his tale is very close to my ADD addled brain.

His home, Kloster Wiblingen, is home to possibly the most eye-poppingly ornate library you've ever seen... /18

...that's the problem. See, in life, our spectre was a priest who took the confession of VIPs. One day, having written down scandalous sins of a lady, he put his book back into a shelf without noting which.

He never found it - now he searches evermore! /19 (Pic: GhostPriest/DA)

Now this thread doesn't even cover half the properties @Schloesser_BaWu takes care of, let alone all the castles, palaces and monasteries around here!

It's a region full of heritage, and the funny, sad and often very spooky tales that come with the centuries. /20

If you come to Germany, please @visit_Stuttgart, @VisitBaWu and enjoy the rich heritage.

Hey, look me up, DM and I'll give you a free tour of some of the best haunts!

Until then, stay spooky, freunde! /FIN