In 1428 Duke Albrecht III. of Bavaria met Agnes Bernauer in a public bath in Augsburg. Her father was the owner of the public baths and was also a barber. Duke Albrecht fell in love with the pretty Agnes and married her secretly against the wishes of his family.

From 1430 Duke Albrecht let build the "Pluedenburg" (that means "Bloom Castle" - today Blutenburg) on a island of the river Würm. He dedicated the castle his wife. The castle was used as love nest of the secret couple.

Some years later (1435) Albrecht's father, Duke Ernst, murdered his "unsuitable" daughter-in-law at Straubing. He sent his son out of town on a pretext and let Agnes throw from a bridge into the Danube river. It is said she freed herself from the chains around her legs and swam to the riverbank. There, the executioner was waiting for her and with the aid of a long pole held her head under water until she drowned.

Duke Ernst shows late repentance: A mass was said for Agnes Bernauer at St.Peter's in Straubing and he ordered a gravestone chiseled in red marble and let build a funeral chapel at the graveyard of St.Peter's.

Every 4th year the "Agnes-Bernauer Festival Play" at Straubing remembers the murder of Agnes, "the Angel of Augsburg", by a member of the Wittelsbach rulers. The next festival takes place Juni/July 2019.

It is said Duke Albrecht visited Blutenburg Castle no more after the death of his wife. At the end of the 15th century his successor, Duke Sigismund, enlarged the castle to the present measures.

Information about the building with the famous late Gothic Sigismund chapel you will find here: Blutenburg Castle

You can reach Blutenburg Castle by public traffic: From the central station S4,S5,S6 or S8 ) to Pasing. From there bus nr. 56 direction Blutenburg to station Bertha-von-Suttner-Weg.