Kirberg Castle (Ruin)

Kirberg Castle is a castle ruin in the Kirberg district of the municipality of Hünfelden in the Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse.

The hilltop castle was built around 1355 by Counts Gerhard von Diez and Johann von Nassau-Merenberg in place of an existing church (around 790) on an isolated shell limestone rock. This was preceded by a feud that broke out in 1353 between the two noble families over control of the town of Kirberg. The joint construction of the castle was a result of the arbitration negotiations. Together with the construction of the fortress, a church and a ring wall were built for the town of Kirberg, which simultaneously received town rights.

However, the complex does not seem to have been used for long. A poor state of repair is documented for 1500. Until the end of the 16th century, it was used as accommodation during visits by the regional lords. Until 1670, there was at least one guard at the castle. In 1673, a pleasure garden was laid out on the rock. By 1700, part of the buildings had already fallen into disrepair down to their foundations or had been dismantled to obtain building materials. In 1790, official demolition permission was granted. Stones from the castle were used until the end of the 19th century for road construction and for the erection of buildings in the town.

On the castle grounds there were two manor houses belonging to families of burgmannen (castle vassals). By the beginning of the 18th century, only their foundations remained.

Today, a tower and some walls are still preserved. Occasionally, the former castle grounds are used for festivals.