Landshut Castle

Landshut Castle is the ruin of a hilltop castle in Bernkastel-Kues in the Rhineland-Palatinate district of Bernkastel-Wittlich.

Landshut Castle is located on the western slope of the Hunsrück above Bernkastel, a district of Bernkastel-Kues. It stands on the approximately 235 m above sea level high castle hill, a northern spur of the Olymp (415 m above sea level). The Moselle, flowing towards the castle from the southwest, turns northwest below the castle (approx. 130 m above sea level). This allows travelers upstream and downstream on the Moselle to spot the castle appearing on the horizon from afar.

In the 4th century, the site of the later Landshut Castle was a late Roman fort to secure military supplies along the Moselle to the Rhine border of the Roman Empire. The rectangular complex has a perimeter of 60 m by 30 m with 1.8 m thick walls made of quartzite stones. The complex was reinforced by six to seven towers, each with a perimeter of 6 m by 6 m.

The hilltop castle, which stands today on the foundations of the Roman defensive structure, was built at the end of the 13th century by the Trier Archbishop Heinrich von Finstingen. According to written sources, there was already a Bernkastel Castle around 1000. Another castle complex of the Counts of Blieskastel is attested in the 12th century and was destroyed by the Trier Archbishop.

After the extinction of the Counts of Blieskastel, the heirs, the Counts of Salm, sold the castle and Vogtland to Kurtrier in 1280. In 1505, the Kurtrier castle was first referred to as "Landshut". It was the seat of an official who administered the Trier office of the same name. On January 8, 1692, Landshut was destroyed by an unfortunate fire and has never been rebuilt since. Since 1920, it has been owned by the city. The ruin is also used as a restaurant and rest stop. The accessible keep offers a view of the Moselle valley. During routine maintenance work in 2012, remains were discovered that could date from the 5th or 6th century. It may be one of the oldest castles in the Moselle valley.