Parsberg Castle

Parsberg Castle, ancestral seat of the Parsberg family, was first mentioned in a document from 1205 as Castrum Bartesperch. In a confirmation document from 1224, the place Parsberg is referred to as Parsperch. In 1314, the first Parsberg Castle was destroyed during a punitive action after a short siege by Duke Ludwig the Bavarian (Dietrich von Parsberg had participated in the uprising of Rudolf the Stammerer against his brother Duke Ludwig). Subsequently, the hilltop castle was rebuilt with an expansion of the castle complex. At the end of the 16th century, the castle complex was extended to the west; the "Upper Castle" with its two characteristic onion domes was built.

In 1632, during the Thirty Years' War, the castle may have been destroyed by the Swedes (this has not yet been confirmed). The Spitzner Chronicle notes the following:

The outer archway leading into the gate courtyard bears the coats of arms of the castle's owners in new fresco painting: on the left, that of the Lords of Parsberg, in the middle, that of the Counts of Schönborn, and on the right, the Bavarian state coat of arms. The simple archway leading into the inner courtyard bears a small stone tablet with the Parsberg coat of arms, the inscription "Parsperg" and the year 1600. Formerly, the entrance was protected by a triple gatehouse, of which only meager traces can now be found. From the year 1600, it was believed that the upper and lower castles had already been built by this time. Both structures are said to have been destroyed by the Swedes in the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648). This certainly applies to the old castle, which still stands as a ruin on the hilltop today. However, it has not yet been proven that the upper and lower castles already stood in 1600. Possibly, only the upper castle was built at that time. The placement of the tablet on the archway does not prove that both castle buildings already stood before the Thirty Years' War. It is probable that the entire complex was significantly destroyed by the Swedes during this period and that both structures in their present form were rebuilt only after this time, but certainly still in the 17th century. All assumptions in this regard remain hypothetical for now.

In the middle of the 17th century, the castle was rebuilt and expanded with the "Lower Castle," which today houses the Parsberg Castle Museum.

In 1799, after the dissolution of the Cabinet Estates Administration, Parsberg was directly subordinated to the Electoral Court Chamber in Munich. Since 1918, the castle complex has been owned by the Free State of Bavaria as the successor to the Kingdom of Bavaria.

In 1803, the Royal Bavarian District Court of Parsberg was established from the district court offices of Parsberg, Velburg, and Lupburg until the second half of the 19th century, after which it became a local court with its seat in the castle. The castle was converted for the establishment of the court and for residential use.

After the dissolution of the Parsberg district (territorial reform in favor of the districts of Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz and Regensburg) and the relocation of offices and authorities, the castle remained unused until 1974. In 1974, the castle, owned by the Free State of Bavaria, was leased by the city of Parsberg. It was to be used for municipal administration tasks, representative purposes, and residential purposes. In 1980, the city administration moved from the castle to the former district administration office, which now serves as the town hall.

In 1981, a provisional museum was set up in seven rooms of the Lower Castle to convince the State Office for Non-State Museums of the quality of the exhibits. From 1981/82, the Lower Castle was continuously developed into a museum focused on folklore and contemporary history, which has now achieved a considerable position throughout Bavaria.