Laaber Castle (Ruin)

The castle ruin of Laaber is a castle ruin on a rock above the center of the market town of Laaber in the district of Regensburg in Bavaria.

The hilltop castle was built at the end of the 12th century by the Knights of Laaber, who are first mentioned in a document in connection with the founding of Reichenbach Monastery in 1118, to control the river crossings and the "Königsstraße" (King's Road) in the Laber Valley on behalf of the Staufer Emperor Frederick II, which brought the knights, who also owned Prunn Castle and Breitenegg Castle, a significant position of power.

In 1367, Hadamar IV von Laaber, son of the famous minnesinger Hadamar III von Laber, was mayor of the imperial city of Regensburg and, after resigning his office, lived in constant feud with the city, which led the city to attack and damage Laaber Castle in 1389.

After the Lords of Laaber fell into difficulties in the 15th century, the castle was sold to the Wittelsbachs, but was returned to Ulrich von Laaber in 1466 and, after the extinction of the Laaber family, came to the Duchy of Lower Bavaria and in 1505 to the Duchy of Palatinate-Neuburg, which maintained a bailiwick at the castle. In 1597, the castle was expanded into a palace-like structure, the towers were demolished in 1720, and from 1805, in the possession of the municipality, the castle fell into disrepair in the 19th century.