Why were the renovation measures at Ringberg Castle necessary?
The conference and catering capacities of the castle were not in line with the accommodation possibilities. Thus, at full capacity of a maximum of 60 conference participants, only 48 of them found a room at the castle. Guest statistics from 2015 to 2018 showed that capacity limits were exceeded for more than a third of all conferences, meaning that around 400 overnight stays had to be added to the valley each year. This not only prevents the communal get-together in the evening, but also means enormous additional costs and logistical challenges, as transport to and from the castle has to be organized in each case. With the help of the seven new rooms with a total of new sleeping places, this number can be significantly reduced.
Furthermore, only one of the 35 rooms was wheelchair-friendly and there was no barrier-free access between the main building and the lecture hall area. Conference guests in wheelchairs had no way to move independently within the castle.
The new building adjoins the auditorium on the slope toward the upper castle. Three guest rooms on the first floor are wheelchair accessible. An additional ramp installed in the area of the north terrace allows barrier-free access between the main building, the conference area and the extension.
Who covers the costs?
The costs for the project were covered by the Max Planck Foundation, as the expansion of the castle was only possible with the help of private funds. The foundation has been supporting the research of the Max Planck Society, its institutes and scientists for over ten years.
