Nellenburg, Medieval castle ruin near Neustadt, Germany.
Nellenburg is a medieval castle ruin perched on a basalt cone called Hain at 345 meters elevation. The site shows preserved fortification walls and a network of defensive ditches that once protected the fortress.
The castle was built by the Counts of Ziegenhain in the 13th century and first documented in 1271. It passed to the Electorate of Mainz in 1294, marking a shift in regional control.
The ruin is connected to local stories about a hidden passage to the Junker-Hansen Tower filled with weapons and treasures. These tales have remained part of the region's folklore and shape how visitors experience the place today.
The site is easily accessible on foot and offers open access to the ruins from multiple viewing points. Wear sturdy shoes as the terrain is uneven and the basalt slope is steep in places.
Concrete foundations and wooden tower posts from 1938 remain visible at the site, showing traces of modern construction work that took place atop the medieval ruins. These layers reveal how the location has been used differently across the centuries.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
