Burgfestspiele Mayen: tickets, rain policy, Genovevaburg

Open-air theatre since 1980

The story of the Burgfestspiele begins in 1980 with the 700th anniversary of the Genovevaburg and a performance of the Genoveva legend. Since 1987 the festival has worked with its own ensemble and its own artistic director. It is run by the town of Mayen, and the season usually runs from the end of May to the end of August.

Around 30,000 visitors come each season. There are two stages: the main stage with up to 474 seats, and the small stage in the courtyard of the Altes Arresthaus, a former prison dating from around 1880.

From Rieden it is around 13 kilometres, about 18 minutes’ drive. For an evening at the theatre, that is about as convenient a distance as you could wish for.

Important for 2026 and 2027: the stage has moved

The Genovevaburg is currently undergoing a full restoration. A tower crane has stood in the castle courtyard since August 2025, and the building work comes to around 13.5 million euros.

That is why the main stage is not in the castle courtyard but on the square in front of the Herz-Jesu church. According to the festival, this applies for two years, so 2026 and 2027. The small stage at the Altes Arresthaus is not affected.

So if you come across an article promising “theatre in the castle courtyard beneath the Goloturm": that is not the case at the moment, although it will be again once the restoration is finished. Do check the current venue before you book.

What tickets cost

As at the 2026 season:

A concession of 2 to 4 euros is available to people with a severe disability, to anyone aged 65 and over, to children up to and including 14, and to school pupils and students. It does not apply to premieres, previews or special events. Where the disability pass carries the letter B, the companion goes free if a concession ticket is bought.

There is no family rate as such; the family angle is covered by the flat price of 15 euros for the family show.

Tickets are available online through the ticket shop with its seating plan, and from Reisebüro Bell in the Touristikcenter on Rosengasse. The box office opens 60 minutes before the start. Tickets cannot be exchanged or returned.

The rain policy you need to know about

This is the point at which most guests are caught out. The festival puts it so plainly that we will quote it:

There is no alternative venue. The decision on whether to start is taken immediately before the performance. And because both stages are under open sky, in practice that means:

• Umbrellas are not allowed. They would block the view for the people behind you.
• Blankets, cushions and rain ponchos are available on site at the Freunde der Burgfestspiele stand.
• There is no cloakroom, so jackets come with you to your seat.

On refunds: if a performance is cancelled or stopped within the first 45 minutes, the full price is refunded automatically within 14 days. If it is stopped after 45 minutes, no refund is given, as is usual with open-air productions.

Our practical advice: check the forecast, dress warmly, take a waterproof rather than an umbrella and, if in doubt, bring a blanket. A summer evening in the Eifel cools down noticeably once the sun has gone down.

More practical details

• Doors open: main stage 30 minutes before, small stage 60 minutes before.
• Start: evening performances usually at 19:30, the family show in the morning at 10:30.
• Food and drink: drinks and snacks at both venues, and at the small stage during the performance as well.
• Accessibility: wheelchair spaces in tier 1, accessible toilet at the venue. Let them know two days in advance.
• Dogs are not allowed, assistance dogs excepted. Photography is not permitted, and nor is smoking.
• Bonus: your theatre ticket gets you 25 per cent off at the Mayen museums.

The Genovevaburg

The castle was built in 1280 by Heinrich von Finstingen, Archbishop of Trier, to secure the interests of the archbishopric against Electoral Cologne. It has a trapezoid ground plan with four corner towers; the taller south-east tower is the keep.

Its history is a chain of destruction and rebuilding:

Where the name comes from

The castle is named after Genoveva of Brabant, a figure from legend. The story was written down in the 16th century by a monk from Maria Laach.

As the tale goes, Count Palatine Siegfried goes off to war and entrusts his wife Genoveva to the care of his retainer Golo. Golo makes advances, is turned down and then accuses her of infidelity. Genoveva flees into the forest and survives there with her child, fed by a white hind. In the end Golo is sentenced to death.

The keep is named after him: the Goloturm, 34 metres high.

Eifelmuseum and Deutsches Schieferbergwerk slate mine

Both are in the lower castle and are open despite the restoration work.

The Eifelmuseum presents the Eifel as a landscape and a place to live on five levels, from geology through faith and superstition to the question of where the Eifel actually begins and ends.

The Deutsches Schieferbergwerk slate mine lies 16 metres beneath the castle and consists of a 340-metre labyrinth of galleries, reached by lift. On show are historic mine wagons, wire saws and a simulated wagon ride.

As at August 2026. Careful with older sources: the closing day changed from Friday to Monday in March 2026. Several websites still list the old times.

Guided tours run through the slate mine on Sundays at 14:00 and through the Eifelmuseum on Saturdays at 14:00, each 2.50 euros on top of the admission price and lasting around an hour. You do not have to join a tour.

Two practical points: underground it is cool all year round, so a jacket and sturdy shoes are part of the kit. And the slate mine is accessible, with a lift, step-free access and an accessible toilet; it is certified under “Reisen für Alle". The outdoor site of the Erlebniswelten Grubenfeld is not.

Getting there and parking

By car from Rieden: around 13 kilometres, about 18 minutes. From the north via the A61, Mendig exit; from the south and east via the A48, Mayen exit.

Parking: the Burggarage car park on Boemundring sits directly above the castle bridge, and the City-Garage is on Rosengasse. Both have a height restriction of 1.95 metres.

On performance days the Burggarage stays open longer, from 60 minutes before to 15 minutes after the start of the performance. If you park on the street: the first half hour is free, and charges apply Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 18:00 and on Saturdays from 8:00 to 14:00. On Sundays and in the evening, street parking is free, which is handy for a night at the theatre.

By bus and train: Mayen Ost is served by the RB 23 and RB 38 lines, Mayen West only by the RB 38. Mayen West is closer to the castle. From Rieden, bus route 820 runs direct from the stop at the Waldsee into Mayen town centre, taking in the Obertor and the Vulkanpark.

What to add to make a day of it

• Erlebniswelten Grubenfeld, a Vulkanpark site in Mayen: season 17 March to 1 November, Tuesday to Thursday plus Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 10:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays and Fridays. Adults 6.00 euros.
• Lava-Dome Mendig with the lava cellars, around 16 kilometres from Rieden: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 17:30, adults 8.50 euros, with the lava cellars 10.50 euros.
• St Clemens church in Mayen with its strikingly twisted spire, first recorded in 1296.

One thing you cannot plan in at the moment is the Wingertsbergwand near Mendig; it is closed to visitors for the foreseeable future.

FAQs

Our advice

For an evening at the theatre: book your tickets online in advance, park on the street on Sundays or in the evening rather than in a car park, and pack warm clothes and a waterproof. If you want to make a day of it, combine the Eifelmuseum in the afternoon with the performance in the evening; your theatre ticket brings 25 per cent off at the museum.