Bärenfall Castle Site (Perfallschlössl)

The "Bärenfall" castle ruins, formerly also called "Perfallschlössl," are a relatively small tower castle that combined defensive and residential functions in one building. Such structures are also called "mottes." There is no detailed documentation of the structure in the "Bärenfall" forest. One reason for the construction of the castle may have been to provide protection for two important roads in the immediate vicinity and to collect tolls. Near Bittenbrunn, two important old roads once crossed "Auf der Wacht": the "Bistumer Steig" (Bohemia – Amberg – Ingolstadt) and the "Hohe Straße," "d'Houch Strouß" (Ansbach – Altdorf – Ursensollen – Ensdorf – Naab).(Source: Josef Schmaußer, local historian of the municipality of Ursensollen.)
Today, the poisonous giant hogweed, or giant hogweed, grows on the remains. This is how the small tower castle still protects itself from intruders today ;).

Bärenfall Castle / PerfallschlösslNear the edge of a gently southwest-sloping plateau is a small circular rampart with a ditch. The diameter of the enclosed area is approximately 10 meters, the ridge circumference measures 31 meters, and the height from the bottom of the ditch to the ridge varies between 2 and 3 meters. As recently as 1950, the remains of a tower-like stone structure are said to have stood here, as evidenced by a stone cross made of hewn ashlars. Due to the dense weed growth, the castle ruins today stand out little from the surroundings.No written sources exist about this abandoned castle. However, the castle ruins are associated with the lords of nearby Hohenkemnath. As early as 1267, a Stefan von Kemnath, lord of Hohenkemnath, Lutzmannstein, and Rosenberg, is documented. According to the 1530 land register, the last Kemnath resident of Hohenkemnath was a Wolf Philipp, but between 1570 and 1589, a Philipp von Kemnath is also mentioned, who is said to have also resided in Hohenkemnath.
According to another interpretation, the Brennberg family may have lived here. Of these, a "Locke von Prennberg" is mentioned only once in 1358. The name Brennberg also bore the name of a nearby farmstead, which burned down towards the end of the 16th century. According to a boundary map from 1590, no castle or ruins are recorded here, so it can be assumed that the complex was already deserted by then.Source: wikipedia.de