Falkenfels Castle

Falkenfels CastleAround 1100, the Counts of Bogen built the castle on the rock that slopes steeply on three sides. From 1232, the Knights of Hohenfels ruled the castle, and from 1400, the Falkensteiners of Falkenfels. In 1331, “Valkenfelss” is mentioned in a copy from the 15th century as a landed estate.In 1425, the castle came into the possession of the Frauenbergers and remained so until their extinction in 1480. The castle was plundered by the Hussites in 1425 and conquered by troops of Duke Albrecht IV in the Böckler War in 1468. The Frauenbergers were followed by the Paulsdorfers. In the Löwler War, the castle was besieged for a week in 1492 and burned down after the capitulation on June 8, 1492, but was then rebuilt by Hans von Paulsdorf.
In 1525, the property passed to the Seyboltstorffer family through marriage. From 1607 to 1796, the noble family of Barons von Weichs owned Falkenfels Castle. In the Thirty Years' War, the castle was set on fire by the Swedes in 1641, but was then rebuilt.
On April 15, 1796, Josef Maria von Weichs sold Falkenfels and the associated manorial estates to Baron Gabriel von Buchstetten for 320,000 guilders. In 1807, the castle was again burned down, but was rebuilt.
After the end of the Falkenfels manorial estate, the castle economy was destroyed in 1820. In 1821, the Lang family acquired the castle and set up a brewery here, which lasted until 1934. In 1925, a fire destroyed large parts of the complex, after which it was only partially rebuilt. From 1919 to 1950, the castle belonged to the Schimmelmann family. On May 8, 1951, the furniture manufacturer Franz Xaver Baier from Straubing bought the castle and converted it into a hotel with a restaurant. The castle was also increasingly used as a conference and congress building. Since 2001, the castle has belonged to the publisher Udo Sieber.
Falkenfels Castle was originally surrounded by two terraced ring walls, one above the other. Today, the fortifications are only preserved on the north side. Approximately in the middle of the east side is the keep from the 13th century, the battlements are from a later period. The baroque castle chapel of St. Joseph was built in the 17th century on medieval foundations. It contains gravestones of Falkenfels castle lords. The outer areas of Falkenfels Castle are freely accessible, otherwise it serves as a castle hotel and restaurant.Source: Excerpts from wikipedia.de

St. Joseph's Castle ChapelBuilt on medieval castle walls and dedicated to St. George as a castle chapel. In 1693 a new building was built in honor of the Holy Family, especially St. Joseph, with the founding of a St. Joseph's Brotherhood by Baroness Theresia von Weichs.
Devastated by fire in 1807, the church was rebuilt with changes. In 1888, the tower and roof structure burned out again due to a lightning strike, and the tower was given a crenellated crown when the new building was built. In 1897, it was expanded to its current size with neo-baroque interior design.
In 1967, the church was completely remodeled, with the ceiling and roof structure being renewed and the interior redesigned.
From 1991 to 1993, it was renovated again, restoring the original condition and returning the late baroque altar and the figures of saints.
The renovated church and the people's altar were consecrated on March 21.Source: information board

There is coffee and cake at the castle!