Burg Kempe, Medieval castle ruins in Mahlitzsch, Germany

Burg Kempe is a castle ruin that sits on a slate cliff directly above the Freiberger Mulde river. The surviving residential tower has three floors and measures roughly 13 by 17 meters, showing the typical scale of a medieval noble residence.

A castle at this site was first documented in 1220, probably built in the 13th century as a toll and refuge castle and the ancestral seat of the von Mals family. From 1298 the castle slowly fell into decay. Since 2000 the ruin has been in private ownership.

A panel at the ruin recounts the legend of Jule, the knight's daughter transformed into a serpent by a gypsy woman he refused to help. She can be freed only at midnight between centuries by a brave young man's kiss, and the panel notes that many have met the serpent but none dared kiss it.

The ruins have been privately owned since 2000 and require advance permission from the owner before visiting. Access is best reached via Zur Kempe street, from where local paths lead up to the ruins.

An underground water system ran beneath the castle, allowing defenders to resist longer during potential sieges. This engineering shows how thoughtfully medieval fortifications were planned to withstand extended attacks.