Burg Wehlen, Medieval castle in Stadt Wehlen, Germany

Burg Wehlen is a partly preserved spur castle on a rocky ridge 25 metres above the Elbe, between the river and the Grundbach stream in Stadt Wehlen. Of the former 85-metre-long, 16-metre-wide complex with two outer baileys, only the foundation walls of a tower, a cellar owned by the town, and a round structure called the Trommel remain. Three cellars with cross and barrel vaults were uncovered in the late 19th century and are again open for guided tours since 2020.

First documented in 1269, the site originated from a royal grant involving the Bohemian crown and the Margrave of Meissen in the mid-1200s. Over the following centuries, damage and neglect gradually transformed the structure into the ruin visible today.

The ruins have been closely tied to the local mountaineering association since 1883, which developed the site as a viewpoint for visitors exploring the region. This connection remains visible today in how the grounds are maintained and made accessible for hikers.

The location on an elevated plateau makes it accessible for most hikers, with paths leading from nearby villages. Guided tours of the vaulted cellars are regularly scheduled and provide the best way to see the interior spaces safely.

Major wall collapses occurred in 1787 and 1788, after which the grounds were leased for decades and converted into garden plots. This unexpected use as farmland delayed further decline until restoration efforts began later.