Pfalz, Medieval castle in Forchheim, Germany

The Pfalz is a medieval castle in the old town of Forchheim, Bavaria, made up of several wings arranged around a courtyard. The building has protective walls, a moat, and a series of halls and rooms that once served as a bishop's residence and now house an archaeological museum.

Bishop Lamprecht von Brunn began building the castle from 1391 as the Bamberg bishops' residence outside the cathedral immunity. Its core, the Große Kemenate, was erected in the east from that year. The castle kept the name Kaiserpfalz, although excavations during the 1998–2004 renovation found no early medieval remains on the site.

The east wing still carries traces of medieval wall paintings with biblical scenes that visitors can see up close during a tour. These images give a sense of how rooms in a bishop's residence were once decorated to impress guests.

The building sits in the heart of the old town and is easy to reach on foot. Guided tours are available and help make sense of the different rooms and their history.

The Great Cabinet (Große Kemenate), the former residence built from 1391, keeps a stone chamber forced-air heating system. The castle also carries the name Kaiserpfalz, although excavations during the 1998–2004 renovation found no traces of an early medieval palace on the site.