술츠바흐-로젠베르크‬에서 가장 멋진 ‪20‬개의 동굴

Seems to be private, parking not allowed

Small, privately owned castle located on the Neidstein. Was briefly owned by Nicolas Cage, the Hollywood actor. Unfortunately, it cannot be easily visited.

Burgstall Hartenfels The site of the abandoned spur castle is located in the Middle Franconian Jura, on a southwest-facing rocky spur of the Great Hartenfels at 530.6 m above sea level. The castle was probably built during the 13th century by the Lords of Neidstein, but there is no mention of the castle itself. It is only mentioned indirectly in a document dated February 21, 1268, in the name of Heinrich von Hertenvels. In addition to the high medieval fortification on the Hartenfels, there are also the remains of a prehistoric structure at the same location. A long section of the rampart, about half a meter high, has been preserved, which arches around the mountain spur outside the moat of the medieval castle and thus sealed it off. Today, the site of the former castle is completely overgrown with forest, and only two ditches and the remains of the foundation walls of the former ring wall have survived. The former hilltop castle was once divided into two areas, an outer bailey at the transition from the spur to the flat summit area or plateau of the Hartenfels, and a main castle at the rocky tip of the mountain spur, in the best protected place by nature. The outer bailey was protected by a two-meter-deep and about ten-meter-wide moat. The area of the outer bailey is irregularly shaped, as it was adapted to the rocky terrain between the plateau and the rocky spur. As it was easily attacked from the plateau, it had to be protected on its north-east side by a strong wall, of which a 4.50-meter-wide and one-meter-high rampart still remains. Approximately in the middle of this rampart, a 3.80-meter-wide break gives an idea of the former entrance to the castle, and even today you enter the castle grounds at this point. The main castle has a trapezoidal area about 50 meters long and 25 meters wide. On its west and south sides it is well protected by the vertical drop of the rocks by several meters and the steep eastern slope also offered sufficient protection. Only at the northwest corner is a small remnant of a wall still visible above ground. There are no further traces of construction on the flat surface of the main castle, apart from an almost square pit in the middle of the area. This pit measures 4 by 3.50 meters and could be the remains of a cistern or a cellar room. Source: Excerpts from www.wikipedia.de

The castle was built around the 13th century. The Lords of Rupprechtstein were first mentioned in 1243 in a document relating to the Engelthal monastery. From the 14th century to 1601 the castle was the seat of the Freudenbergers. In 1776, renovations and expansions took place. In the first half of the 19th century the castle was considered derelict. In 1903, Johann Georg Pickel acquired the estate and converted the farm building into an inn.

From the Hartenfels with its summit cross that can be seen from afar, you have a beautiful view of Neukirchen and the surrounding area. To get to the vantage point, you either leave your bike where it is or push it up the stairs, but the view makes up for the effort. Don't forget to enter the summit book 😉.

Castle ruins of a hilltop castle built in the 13th century. It is privately owned.

A nice stopover on a hike that should not be missed, the chapel has always been open.

The castle chapel in Breitenstein is absolutely worth seeing because of the two-storey construction. Next to the chapel there is a bench to enjoy the beautiful view.