Burg Reichenbach, Castle ruin in Hessisch Lichtenau, Germany

Burg Reichenbach is a medieval castle ruin located on a hilltop near Hessisch Lichtenau at approximately 522 meters elevation. Remains of the original fortress include parts of a tower, thick walls, and old defensive ditches.

The counts of Gozmar built the castle in the mid-11th century and called themselves Counts of Reichenbach from 1089. In 1207, Count Henry III donated the Reichenbach convent to the Teutonic Order, its first house in Germany. Landgrave Louis III of Thuringia captured the castle around 1220, and in 1249 Sophie of Brabant took it for her son Henry I. Emperor Charles V ordered its destruction around 1550.

The ruins show how medieval castles were built to control and defend the surrounding land. Walking around the site, visitors can still see how the thick walls and the location high on the hill made sense for those purposes.

The ruin stands on the Schlossberg at 522 metres, roughly 4 km southeast of Hessisch Lichtenau between Reichenbach and Retterode, and is reached on foot via hiking trails. The keep serves as an observation tower; its current outside staircase was inaugurated on 8 August 2004. The site lies within the Reichenbacher Kalkberge nature reserve, designated in 1996, so walkers should stay on the paths.

In 1899, the keep of the fortress was specifically restored to serve as an observation tower. From its top, visitors can see out across the Reichenbacher Kalkberge nature reserve.