Freienstein Castle Ruins

Unfortunately, it seems to be in decline. Very sad ...

Due to decay partially blocked!

The castle was first mentioned in 1297 as Freinstein Castle.
It is situated on a spur above the Gammelsbach stream, in a strategically advantageous location. The B45, one of the most important regional transport routes, still runs through the valley, which is quite narrow at this point. Freienstein Castle once controlled this route between the Neckar region in the south and the Main valley in the north. At the same time, it marked the southernmost point of the Ebach counts' possessions. The mountain spur on whose slope the castle nestles belongs to the Weckberg, which is part of the Hirschhorner Höhe ridge, which stretches roughly north to south between the Gammelsbach valley and the parallel Finkenbach valley further to the west.
The castle was only partially fit for defense during the Thirty Years' War and was plundered by the Bavarians in 1622. From 1700 onwards, it was no longer permanently inhabited, and after the Beerfelden town fire in 1810, its building stock was used to rebuild Beerfelden.
The castle's existing walls are currently being extensively secured.