Burg Weißenstein, Medieval castle ruins in Waldershof, Germany
Burg Weißenstein is a castle ruin in the Oberpfälzer Wald region near Waldershof, perched on a rocky outcrop at about 863 meters elevation. The structure measures roughly 50 meters long and 30 meters wide, with walls built directly into the rock formation of the hillside.
The castle was first documented in 1279 as Wisstenstein and originally belonged to the Weißensteiner family. Around 1300 the property came under the control of the powerful Nothafft family, who held it for centuries afterward.
The ruins show how a medieval noble stronghold was built to blend with its surroundings. Visitors can still see today how the structure merged with the natural landscape.
The ruins are reachable by a roughly 30-minute walk from the Weißenstein parking area in Hohenhard, following the yellow-marked Goldsteig hiking trail. The site is accessible on foot, though sturdy shoes are important because of the rocky terrain.
The castle walls are so skillfully integrated into the rock formation that it is sometimes hard to tell where human construction ends and nature begins. This merging shows how medieval builders used the local geology to their advantage.
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