Mitterfels Castle

From the Kreutzhaus hiking car park there is a beautiful circular hiking trail to the castle. Very idyllic!

Is pleasant destination, beautiful forest and small creek

Mitterfels CastleMitterfels was an important administrative and defensive center of the Counts of Bogen. It was first documented in 1194 under Berchtholdus de Mitterfels. In 1242, the castle, along with the rich Bogen inheritance, passed to the Wittelsbach dukes. In 1280, Mitterfels was already mentioned in the ducal urbar as a regional court. In the following centuries, Mitterfels was expanded into a stronghold and manned by guardians.
Little is known about the medieval history of the castle; it was apparently spared from the Hussite invasions around 1400 because it was over-fortified. During the Lower Bavarian knightly revolts of the Böckler and Löwler families, Mitterfels always fought on the side of the territorial lords. In 1634, Mitterfels was captured by the Swedes. In 1742, the castle was unsuccessfully besieged by Trenck the Pandur during the War of the Austrian Succession.
Mitterfels lost all military importance in the 19th century, and its defensive structures gradually fell into disrepair. In 1812, the keep collapsed. Around 2000, the dilapidated medieval remains were excavated and secured with funds from the Free State of Bavaria.The castle lies at the end of a long mountain spur overlooking the Menach or Perlbach valley. The path to the castle leads over a three-arched bridge made of rubble and brick, which crosses the deep moat. According to an inscription, the bridge dates from 1791.The entrance to the inner castle was the keep, made of humped ashlars, which, judging by historical illustrations, also served as a gate tower. Today, most of the remains are covered by a prison. Adjacent to the keep stands the most clearly visible part of the medieval castle today: the high shield wall. To the left of the entrance area lies the stump of a wall tower and the Pflegschloss (Peasant Castle) and courthouse, which dates back to the 18th century and replaced the palace. Today, the town hall is housed there.Walking past the Pflegschloss, you descend over the former wall of the inner castle to a terrace in front. There you will find the castle's most impressive structure: the surrounding moat with its protruding round wall towers. This elaborate defensive structure probably dates back to the 15th century and was equipped with numerous loopholes.Source: burgenseite.de