Lauenburg Castle, Medieval castle ruins in Thale, Germany

Lauenburg is a medieval castle ruin above Thale in the northern Harz, made up of two sections separated by a defensive ditch. Enough walls remain standing to give a clear sense of how the original fortress was laid out.

The castle was founded in the 12th century and became the focus of disputes between regional noble families over the following centuries. It was eventually abandoned and fell into ruin rather than being deliberately destroyed.

The name Lauenburg refers to the two-part complex of Große and Kleine Lauenburg, about 200 metres apart on the Burgberg. Since 1887 the site has been state property, and today it is checkpoint no. 187 of the Harzer Wandernadel, whose stamp hikers collect at the path by the inn entrance between the two halves. A 1:20 scale model at Stecklenberg's village church shows the former layout.

The ruin is reached by a steep footpath that starts behind the church in Stecklenberg, where there is parking nearby. Sturdy shoes are a good idea since the path is uneven and takes some time to walk.

The ruin sits on a ridge with open views down into valleys on both sides, which explains why the original builders chose this spot. That natural position is today one of the main reasons hikers make a point of stopping here.