Burg Falkenstein, Medieval castle ruins near Pfronten, Germany
Burg Falkenstein is a ruined hilltop castle near Pfronten in the Allgäu region of Bavaria, sitting on a rocky ridge at a considerable height. What remains today includes sections of the outer walls, foundations, and parts of the tower that still define the outline of the original fortification.
The castle was built in the late 13th century and served as a control point over the trade routes running through the Allgäu. In the 19th century, King Ludwig II drew up plans to build a new residence on the same site, but the project was abandoned after his death in 1886.
The name Falkenstein refers to the falcon rock on which the fortress was built, a name that still echoes through the local villages below. Visitors walking among the remaining walls can get a sense of how much ground the old fortification once covered.
The path up starts from Pfronten and is clearly marked, though the final section becomes steep and rocky. Sturdy footwear is a good idea, and extra care is needed when the trail is wet.
Ludwig II's plans for this site were the most ambitious of all his castle projects, and the structure he envisioned would have been even larger than Neuschwanstein. Standing among the old ruins today, visitors are in fact standing on the ground of a palace that was never built.
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