Top 20 Castles around Plech

The Leienfels castle ruins are located on the 590-meter-high Schlossberg directly above the village of Leienfels. Extensive ruins of the medieval complex have survived to this day. The castle, whose name is likely derived from "Löwenfels" (Lion Rock), is one of the later castles in the Franconian Switzerland region and was probably built in the early 14th century. The castle was severely damaged during the Peasants' War and the Margrave War. From 1646 onwards, the remaining buildings were used as a source of material, and the complex was left to decay. The entire castle complex has the shape of a triangle; a section of approximately 30 meters of the surrounding wall with a cannon slit has been preserved between the former castle gate and the northern edge of the height. The masonry was partially renovated in 2005/06.

In 1525 the castle was completely destroyed during the Peasants' War. After the people of Nuremberg had rebuilt it, it was destroyed again in 1553 by Margrave Albrecht Alcibiades during the Second Margrave War and was not rebuilt afterwards. In 1827 the western half of the keep, which had been largely intact until then, collapsed after a lightning strike. The first measures to secure the building structure were taken in 1913, and the ruins were completely renovated in 2013/2014. Remnants of the walls of the palace, the keep, other buildings and the surrounding walls still remain. Today the ruins are protected as a landscape-defining architectural monument D-5-74-158-80 "Castle ruins, significant remains of the keep and adjoining buildings, limestone blocks and limestone quarry stone, 13th-15th century. Century”, as well as archaeological monument D-5-6334-0016 “Medieval and early modern findings in the area of the Wildenstein castle ruins” recorded by the Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation. Source: Wikipedia

A visit to this beautiful place can be wonderfully combined with a hike through the Veldensteiner Forest or the Pegnitztal. Afterwards, you will visit the impressive Veldenstein Castle in Neuhaus and stop off at one of the cozy inns.

Stierberg castle ruins The castle and the town at its feet owed their importance to the junction here from the high road, the section of the “via imperii” between Nuremberg and Bayreuth. This north-south axis crossed in Stierberg with the Altstrasse, which ran from west to east. The name Stierberg first appeared in 1187 with the mention of Otnand de Stierberc and in 1188 by a Poppo von Stierberch, both of which were ministerial offices of the Bishopric of Bamberg. Before 1308, the castle, which was later owned by the diocese, passed to the noble lords of Schlüsselberg. In 1306, Landgrave Ulrich von Leuchtenberg entrusted the castle to the Bishopric of Trier. In 1356 the property passed as a fief to Emperor Charles IV and thus to Bohemia. In 1417 Stierberg was sold to John of Bavaria by Landgrave Leopold. After the Landshut War of Succession, Stierberg fell into the hands of the Nurembergs without a fight in 1504 and thus to the Free Imperial City of Nuremberg. Then regained in the same year by the Palatinate under Ludwig von Eyb, but apparently significantly damaged during these fighting. Retaken by the Nuremberg troops in 1505, Stierberg and Betzenstein became part of the imperial city of Nuremberg. In the second federal war in 1553, the village and Stierberg Castle were shelled and captured by margrave troops, and the castle burned down completely. The castle ruins lie on a dolomite rock reef that slopes down on three sides. The upper main castle (southwest of the natural cut) only has a few remains of walls. You can see a piece of wall about 8 meters high and 1.3 meters thick and, at the highest elevation, wall rubble and remains of the foundation wall. To the north of the cutting there is a well-preserved, extended round tower on an isolated rock, 6 meters high and with quarry stone walls up to 1.8 meters thick. To the southeast at a height of around 2 meters there is an arched entrance opening. The top of the wall is covered with cement and bears a restoration inscription from 1914. The former bailiwick house, built in 1778/79, stands on the sloping slope. Behind the house is access to a partly artificial cave that runs through the entire castle rock in a southwesterly direction. Source: information board

Beautiful, well-preserved castle, which you can walk around just below the walls. You can also visit the inside for a fee of €2.50 for adults. The castle is open from March to November (weather permitting). The castle is open on Sundays and public holidays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Castle is accessible and can be visited. You have a great view. Between the floors there is a beautiful herb garden. A part is integrated into a rock. A newer building, the "long house", houses, among other things, holiday apartments.

The ruins can also be climbed. The town of Leienfels itself has only 50 inhabitants

The view up to the castle. Always fascinating