Schönberg Castle

Schönberg Castle is a castle in Schönberg am Kapellenberg. The castle, with its central location, shapes the townscape. Due to the slope of the terrain to the south, it is visible from afar.

The first documented mention of Schönberg Castle dates back to 1261 as a knight's seat in the form of a moated castle for Albert von Schönberg, who came from the noble family of Neuberg but now named himself after his new seat. A transfer to Knight Eitel Toss is documented for 1343. In the 14th and early 15th centuries, the Lords of Kospod owned the Schönberg manor, which developed in connection with the castle. Other short-term owners were Hans von Rabe and Heinrich von Röder. From the mid-15th century, the castle was owned by the von Zedtwitz family, including Sittich von Zedtwitz, until it came into the possession of the Barons von Reitzenstein after 1485. It remained in their possession for 460 years.

In 1685, a three-story manor house with a five-bay facade and a flat brick hip roof was built around the octagonal watchtower from 1485. Also from 1685 is an octagonal well basin with a stone figure and the family's coat of arms. The Schönberg manor developed into the sixth largest in Vogtland. The last lady of the castle was Margarethe Pia Magyari (1876–1945), born Baroness von Reitzenstein. After being dispossessed by the communists in 1945, she was deported to the island of Rügen, where she also died.

The expropriated fields of the estate were distributed to new farmers, and the castle subsequently housed apartments, a post office, a municipal office, a school, a cinema, a library, a children's holiday camp, and much more, until the structural condition had deteriorated so much that only one room could still be used. Since 1994, the castle has been back in private ownership and has been extensively renovated.