Leuchtenberg Castle (Ruin)

The castle ruin Leuchtenberg in Leuchtenberg is the largest and best-preserved castle ruin in the Upper Palatinate. The hilltop castle is located on the summit of the 585-meter-high Leuchtenberg and is one of the most famous viewpoints in the region.

The castle was built around 1300 by the Landgraves of Leuchtenberg, an influential medieval noble family, in the style of medieval knight fortresses. It is presumed that a fortification may have existed on the mountain even before that. However, the Landgraves left the castle as early as 1322 to reside in nearby Pfreimd. The noble family died out in 1646. After the death of the last Landgrave, the castle increasingly fell into disrepair, and in 1842 it was completely destroyed in a major fire.

In the 20th century, efforts began to secure the remaining substance and rebuild parts of the castle. Today, the castle ruin is used as an open-air stage and is the venue for the annual Leuchtenberg Castle Festival.