Burgruine Schartenberg, Medieval castle ruin in Zierenberg, Germany.

Burgruine Schartenberg is a castle ruin near Zierenberg featuring a preserved stone keep with walls three meters thick. The remains sit on elevated ground surrounded by the foundations of additional structures.

The fortress first appeared in written records in 1020 and served as a strategic stronghold for various noble families. It was abandoned in 1518 and subsequently fell into disrepair.

The name Schartenberg comes from the Schartenberg hill, and the castle was also called Groppeschloss after the Groppe von Gudenberg family, who held a smaller castle on the site. The nearby village of Rangen was destroyed in 1424 during a Mainz raid, and the castle later became the seat of the Amt Schartenberg.

The ruin is accessible via marked hiking trails, though entry into the keep interior is restricted for safety reasons. Visitors can explore the exterior and surrounding foundations while enjoying views from the elevated plateau.

The name Groppeschloss recalls a smaller castle on the same hill, granted as a fief to the lords Groppe von Gudenberg; it stood directly beside Schartenberg and has not survived. The main ruin preserves parts of the bergfried plus remnants of the neck ditch and walls.