Stefling Castle and Palace
Stefling was one of the most historically important fortresses in the lower Regental. The castle on the steep granite hilltop was first mentioned in 996 as being owned by the Pabonen family. They were burgraves of Regensburg from 976 to 1196 and the emperor's powerful governors. After their extinction in 1196, the castle came into the possession of the Wittelsbach dukes, who succeeded the Pabonen as burgraves. Since the 14th century, Stefling has had numerous owners, such as the Regensburg patrician families Hofer and Auer, who also owned the neighboring Stockenfels, the Eckers, the Counts of Ortenburg and, since the middle of the 17th century, the Münster family.
In 1508, a church dedicated to St. Blasius "in castro Stefling" appears in the visitation protocol, which was built on the western flank of the palace.
In the Thirty Years' War, Stefling Castle suffered severe damage around 1633 and lay in ruins for several years.
It was also the Münster family who built the current three-story castle around 1656 in place of the castle buildings that had been built in the 10th century and renovated around 1150. In 1748, the castle was given a baroque makeover and its interior was rebuilt.
Since 1817, Stefling, like Stockenfels and Hof, was owned by the Counts of Eckart, later by the Mühle-Eckart family and from 1992 by the Countess of Drechsel. The renovation took place between 1987 and 1995. The castle chapel of St. Bartholomew was built on the west side of the palace, near the inner castle gate. Rudolf von Münster had the chapel renovated and enlarged in the 18th century, and by 1859 the chapel was so close to decay that it had to be partially rebuilt.
The castle courtyard extends in a north-south direction. When the castle was built in the 17th century on the north side, parts of the Romanesque walls of the former palace were retained. The Romanesque keep on the south side of the courtyard is only preserved in its two lower floors.
Source: Information boards for Stefling Castle and Palace