Egloffstein Castle

The Lords of Egloffstein are documented since 1180. Although the castle itself was only mentioned in 1358, when Albrecht II von Egloffstein and his brothers founded a chaplaincy there, it is likely to be much older. The Lords of Egloffstein initially owned the castle as a free allod.

During a feud with the Bishop of Bamberg, Götz von Egloffstein retreated to his ancestral castle Egloffstein in 1372 after the destruction of his castle Leienfels. To prevent it from being besieged by the Bishop of Bamberg, Götz von Egloffstein was excluded from the family association in 1374.

In 1376, the Bishop of Bamberg Lamprecht von Brunn (1374–1398) forced Seybot II von Egloffstein to grant the Bamberg prince-bishopric the right of access to the largest part of the castle.

In the First Margrave War of 1449/50, the castle was unsuccessfully attacked by troops of Margrave Albrecht Achilles on April 8, 1450, but was severely damaged in the process. From 1482 to 1493, the castle was significantly rebuilt.

In 1509, Jobst I von Egloffstein enfeoffed his part of the castle to the Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg. In 1516, Wolf I von Egloffstein enfeoffed the last remaining free allodial part of the lordship to the Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg. The reason for this is likely to be found in the financial situation of the Lords of Egloffstein.

Despite the constant reinforcement of the defensive works, the castle was conquered by the Nurembergers in the Landshut War of Succession in 1504 and partly burned down. Hardly rebuilt, it fell victim to the German Peasants' War in 1525. Reconstruction was only partial and very slow.

In connection with disputes between Wilhelm III von Egloffstein and the Bishop of Bamberg Veit II von Würtzburg (1561–1577), the latter had the castle occupied and devastated in 1563.

When the village of Egloffstein was attacked by the Swedes in the Thirty Years' War in 1632 and 1645, the castle suffered severe damage, necessitating extensive restoration work. Albrecht Christoph von Egloffstein had a large gun tower erected in 1664.

The last military occupation of the castle in the War of the Spanish Succession in 1703 was survived by the castle without major damage. The subsequent decades also brought no destruction to the castle.

In 1750, the brothers Albrecht Christoph Karl and Ludwig I von Egloffstein had the current parish church of St. Bartholomew erected in place of the lower Kemenate with the old castle chapel. In 1800, the large gun tower collapsed and was removed.

The baronial patrimonial court at Egloffstein Castle existed until 1848. The castle is still owned by the Lords of Egloffstein.

Of the former castle complex, the main or upper castle still remains. It consists mainly of the Old Kemenate and the Long Kemenate. The oldest parts of the castle, possibly dating from the 12th century, are likely to be found in the Old Kemenate.

The parish church of St. Bartholomew was built in 1750 in place of the castle chapel.