The effort of the climb, whether on foot or by bike, is rewarded by the magnificent view.
The ruins of the summit castle lie on the summit of the 524 m high Stoppelsberg in the Kuppenrhön, the remnant of a volcanic vent formed in the Miocene. The keep of Hauneck Castle is founded on hexagonal basalt columns that formed when the lava cooled; they are exposed at the base of the keep.
History of Hauneck Castle:
Built by the Knights of Haun, around the 14th century/Ancestral seat in Burghaun
1402 First documented mention/Conquest and partial destruction by the Hessian Landgrave Hermann
1409 The Landgrave finally acquires the castle through a purchase agreement with Johann and Heinrich Haun.
1469 Second destruction by the Lords of Buchenau
1483 Reconstruction as the seat of a Hessian bailiff by the Landgrave of Hesse-Marburg
1660 Abandonment of the official residence and relocation to Holzheim
Progressive deterioration followed.
The castle ruins had to be closed on August 1, 1981, due to the danger of collapse.
On May 20, 1982, after extensive renovations, the now secured castle ruins with a walkable keep were reopened. Since then, the ruins have been accessible again and offer a beautiful vantage point.
Source: www.Wikipedia