Top 20 Castles around Frankeneck

Very nice view of the Hambach Castle

The cradle of democracy is always impressive

View of Hambach Castle from below

Small castle ruins with a great view of Neustadt

I like to walk this way, because this view of the Hambach Castle is awesome. 👍

The construction of the Kropsburg goes back to the Staufer and is dated to around 1200; At that time, a whole ring of castles was built to shield the Reichsburg Trifels, which was about 20 km away. Similar to the Hambach Castle to the north and the Rietburg Castle to the south, the Kropsburg offered a wide view of the Rhine plain. Initially, the Kropsburg was the seat of a ministerial. It was later inherited by the descendants of the vassals and thus became the Ganerbenburg with several owners, who expanded it into an upper and a lower castle. A small dominion, which consisted of the towns of Sankt Martin, Maikammer and Winnweiler, belonged to the castle.[2] After the end of the Staufers in the second half of the 13th century, it came into the possession of the Bishopric of Speyer. This enfeoffed various noble houses with the Kropsburg, including those of Kropsberg, von Ochsenstein and von Odenbach. John III Chamberlain von Worms first acquired a house in Kropsburg in 1323 from his son-in-law, Merkel von Kropsburg. In 1345 he then bought his entire 50% share in the castle and associated goods. The descendants of John III. between 1393 and 1439 they also bought the second half of the Kropsburg, so that it now belonged exclusively to the family of the chamberlains from Worms.[3] From 1492 to 1531 Johann XXII was from this family. Chamberlain of Worms Lord of the Kropsburg and in St. Martin, where his magnificent tomb is preserved in the local Martinskirche. In 1522, the castle chapel St. Ägidius is mentioned in a document, for which Georg von Schwalbach, cathedral custodian and general vicar of the Speyer diocese, approved the safekeeping of the holy of holies. The chaplain of St. Martin also receives permission to work there as a pastor.[4] While the Kropsburg survived the turmoil of the Peasants' War and the Thirty Years' War almost unscathed in the 16th and 17th centuries, it was completely and finally destroyed by French troops in 1689 during the Palatinate War of Succession. In 1771 Jakob Amandus von Dalberg built a new stately home on the ruins of the lower castle. After remodeling and modernization, it later operated as a restaurant until it closed. The new restaurant built on the site is known for its panoramic view over the Rhine plain. from Wikipedia

Here stands Ritterstein No. 260. It is one of over 300 Rittersteine (memorial stones) erected by the Palatinate Forest Association (PWV) and bears the inscription "Heidenlöcher – Refuge Castle 9th-10th Century." It marks the remains of a refuge castle that served as protection against the warring Normans and Hungarians. Today, the foundations of two gate structures, 65 stone houses, and a 450-meter-long curtain wall are still preserved. The inner of the two adjoining dry-stone walls served as a parapet walk. - Source: Information panels on site A little further to the right of this Ritterstein are the foundations of one of the gate structures. The refuge castle, or rather its remains, can be entered through the two gate structures. The curtain wall can be easily walked along (with minor exceptions): either on top of the wall or along its inner side – and the remains of many stone houses can be seen along the way. Without Komoot, it is easy to get lost here: Therefore, it is best to follow the "Palatinate Wine Trail" hiking signs!

The entire facility is very exciting. A look into early history.