Keltenmuseum Hochdorf — princely grave & burial mound
Keltenmuseum Hochdorf/Enz with reconstructed burial chamber and rebuilt princely mound — archaeological day trip from the Northern Black Forest.
About an hour by car from Das Bollenhut Haus, Eberdingen-Hochdorf holds one of the most important early Celtic princely graves in Central Europe. In 1977 a richly furnished burial mound was rediscovered here, near the Enz in the Ludwigsburg district — untouched since the Hallstatt period, with golden grave goods, bronze lions and a four-wheeled wagon. Keltenmuseum Hochdorf/Enz tells the excavation story and leads into a faithfully reconstructed burial chamber.
The museum building echoes the shape of the grave structure: above the underground chamber spans a 60-metre-wide metal arch — marking the original dimensions of the mound. Inside stands the "Celtic prince" on a bronze couch, surrounded by finds from his time. The originals (except the skeleton) are in the Württemberg State Museum; here you experience the burial at the site — calm, factual and impressive, without Black Forest kitsch.
About 500 metres from the museum — a ten-minute walk across a field path — the rebuilt burial mound rises again from the landscape: 60 metres across, six metres high, freely accessible. You can walk around the mound without museum admission; after visiting inside, the scale feels even clearer outdoors. Car park at the museum (Keltenstraße 2, 71735 Eberdingen-Hochdorf); a signposted footpath leads to the mound, with an alternative car park at the cemetery.
The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday and on public holidays from 10 am to 5 pm (closed Monday and Tuesday). Families will find interactive stations, a puzzle trail and a cinema room — worthwhile on rainy days; on sunny days combine the museum with a walk to the mound. Admission, guided tours and special opening hours may change — please check keltenmuseum.de before visiting.