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Burgruine Altweilnau
Burgruine Altweilnau
Open April 1 to October 31
The keep of the castle ruins of the same name, whose origins date back to around 1200, rises above the historic center of Altweilnau. Only remnants of the seven towers of the hilltop castle remain today: the nearly 18-meter-high round keep with a domed vault, parts of the curtain wall with a shell tower, and the neck ditch. The Counts of Diez built the complex with numerous rooms – including a chamberlain's chamber, a “vaulted room” and a lord's chamber – and used it themselves or through burgraves until 1563. After that, the castle was gradually abandoned and was uninhabitable by 1608 at the latest; the consequences of war and demolition accelerated its decline. Dendrochronology dates the keep precisely to 1203/04. Between 1980 and 1986, the ruins were extensively restored, including the wall thickness of the late medieval gate tower from 1340. Today, a support group looks after the monument and offers visitors insights into the history of the Staufer era.