Mylau Castle, Medieval castle in Reichenbach im Vogtland, Germany

Mylau Castle is a hill castle on a rocky spur between the Göltzsch and Seifenbach, with a 27-meter Romanesque keep and two outer baileys added after 1400. The photograph shows rough grey-brown stonework, a curved wall with a dark overhanging roof edge, and a cylindrical tower with a faceted roof and dormer window.

Emperor Charles IV acquired the fortress in 1367 for the Bohemian crown following the War of Vogtland and granted town privileges to Mylau during this time. This imperial action marked a turning point for the settlement's status in the region.

The museum on the upper courtyard opened in 1883 and holds the largest natural history collection in the Vogtland. Its displays cover regional geology and mining and the construction of the Göltzsch Viaduct. A room was dedicated to the Metzsch family in 1899/1900, and the council chamber was modelled on the Wartburg.

The castle is accessible by foot from the town center via a steep path that takes about 15 minutes to walk. Visitors should wear appropriate shoes since the route is uneven and partly steep.

Between 1808 and 1828, the fortress housed one of the first spinning mills in northern Vogtland, founded by entrepreneur Christian Gotthelf Brückner. This use shows how medieval structures adapted to industrial change during that era.