Burg Braunsberg, Medieval castle ruin in Anhausen, Germany

Burg Braunsberg is a castle ruin in Anhausen situated on a hilltop at about 265 meters elevation, commanding views over the Aubach valley. The site shows the remains of a wide rock-cut ditch and a multi-angular residential tower, protected by steep slopes on three sides.

Bruno I of Isenburg built the castle around 1200; through his marriage to Theodora of Wied, it became a seat of the Counts of Wied, and his son Bruno II founded the second comital house. In the years after the Thirty Years' War, the so-called Braunsbergischer Krieg brought a siege and deaths, and in March 1945 US artillery fire almost completely destroyed the walls.

The remaining stone walls and angular residential tower reflect how medieval nobility designed their fortresses to dominate the landscape. The structure shows the practical thinking of fortress builders who used natural hilltop locations to maximize control over surrounding valleys.

A forest management office occupies the buildings on the site, and access is via a walking path from the parking area at Am Heidengraben. The path is clearly marked and offers a straightforward walk with views of the surrounding landscape.

The damage from the 1945 artillery bombardment remains visible on the walls today, serving as a direct reminder of the war's impact on this region. These scars in the stonework connect visitors to the final stages of World War II and how conflict shaped the landscape.