Burg Maienfels, Medieval castle in Wüstenrot, Germany
Burg Maienfels is a medieval castle that sits on a rocky outcrop above the Brettach Valley and is surrounded by a ring wall of Staufer-era stone that remains mostly intact. The structure displays typical features of a fortified defensive site with walls and towers that protected the entire grounds.
Built between 1230 and 1250, the castle was first documented in 1302 as the seat of a branch of the Lords of Neudeck, who served the Hohenlohe. In 1441 troops of the Swabian imperial cities besieged it for over three months and demolished much of the complex. The Ganerben owners rebuilt it, and in 1464 enfeoffed it to the Count Palatine for protection.
The castle's name comes from the Lords of Neudeck, who called themselves von Maienfels after this seat from 1302. Six families shared the castle as a Ganerbenburg from 1426, and the Gemmingen line still owns it. Concerts are held in the inner courtyard and the Marstall serves as a setting for weddings.
Burg Maienfels can be visited by prior arrangement; it is not open on fixed daily hours. The castle stands on a hill spur above the Brettach Valley, with the village of Maienfels directly below its walls. The courtyard and the former Marstall are used for concerts and weddings, so access may be restricted during events.
The corner tower carries a timber-framed upper storey that long held the bells of the parish church below; the church only received its own tower around 1920. The castle also keeps a medieval wall walk and a drop chute above the gate to the church.
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