Burg Freudenberg, Medieval castle in Freudenberg, Germany

Burg Freudenberg is a stone castle perched on elevated ground in the northern section of Freudenberg, displaying medieval architecture. The structure retains its original layout with multiple towers and walls that have endured across the centuries.

Bishop Heinrich III von Berg of Würzburg began building the castle in 1196/1197, and work continued on a smaller scale under Konrad I von Querfurt. The lords of Dürn appear as the earliest tenants, followed by the Counts of Wertheim through marriage; in 1295 Kunigunde von Wertheim received "castrum et oppidum" Freudenberg as a fief. After the Wertheim line died out in 1556, the castle fell into ruin.

The name Freudenberg probably echoes the Frohburg of the lords of Dürn, last mentioned in 1196; the castle itself is also called Freudenburg. Since 1995 the ruin has been open to the public, and every two years in odd years the castle courtyard serves as an open-air stage.

Visitors can access the grounds on most days, though group visits and guided tours work better with advance notice. Comfortable shoes are advisable since the terrain is hilly and includes several sets of stairs.

The keep stands on a base measuring 14.65 by 14.65 metres and was built in three stepped stages. Construction began around 1235, and the slender upper section was added in 1361 under Count Eberhard von Wertheim, raising the tower to 32 metres.