Freusburg, Medieval hill castle in Freusburg, Kirchen, Germany

Freusburg is an early medieval hill castle on a summit above the Sieg valley in Freusburg, part of the town of Kirchen in Rhineland-Palatinate. The castle is thought to have been built around 1100. Its south wing was rebuilt from 1926 by Düsseldorf architect Ernst Stahl, who converted several castles into youth hostels. From the castle there is a view over the surrounding forest and into the Sieg valley with the Freusburger Mühle.

The site was first recorded in 913 as Fruodeesbraderofanc, a bifanc (manor) on the Fruodberg; a documentary entry followed in 1048. The castle itself is estimated to have been built around 1100 and was first named in 1247 during an inheritance division. From 1378 it was a fief of the Electorate of Trier, and around 1580 Count Henry IV of Sayn had it renovated.

The castle has housed a youth hostel since 1928, making it one of Germany's most visited, with around 60,000 overnight stays a year. The nearby settlement of Freusburg takes its name from the castle, and the site was first recorded in 913 as Fruodeesbraderofanc, a court holding on the Fruodberg.

The castle now operates as a youth hostel and conference venue, so it is worth checking in advance which parts are accessible to individual visitors on any given day. The path up to the building passes through the village of Freusburg and involves a noticeable uphill walk.

The castle is listed as a protected monument but has been adapted to serve as a working hostel and rehearsal space, which is relatively rare for a building of its age in Germany. This means the old walls are in daily use rather than simply being preserved for display.