Lauterstein Castle, Castle ruin in Niederlauterstein, Marienberg, Germany

Lauterstein Castle, also called Burgruine Niederlauterstein, is a ruined medieval hill castle on a gneiss spur above the left bank of the Schwarze Pockau at the southeastern edge of Niederlauterstein. Its remaining structures include a round tower 9 m in diameter, a square tower 6 × 6 m, and sections of enclosing walls. The castle occupied a site about 30 m across.

The fortress was first recorded in writing during 1304 when it was called Lutirstein and a nobleman named Johannis was associated with it. Swedish forces destroyed it in 1639, ending its role as a defensive stronghold in the region.

The castle's name probably comes from its stone construction, hence the suffix -stein. In 1497 the Berbisdorf family split the lordship into Oberlauterstein and Niederlauterstein, dividing the castle itself with a partition wall through the middle. The Marienberg firm Auhagen still produces a model of the castle at about 1:100 scale, based on a 1629 depiction by Dillich.

The ruin stands on a gneiss spur at the southeastern edge of Niederlauterstein, above the left bank of the Schwarze Pockau, about 2 km northwest of Zöblitz and 4.5 km northeast of Marienberg. The terrain is uneven and the surviving walls and towers require careful footing, so sturdy shoes are advisable. The site is an open Bodendenkmal, registered on 25 November 1968.

A model manufacturer created a detailed scale replica of the castle based on historical drawings made in 1629 by engineer Dillich. This miniature provides insight into how the fortress appeared before it was damaged and left to decay.