Burg Herrieden, Medieval castle in Herrieden, Germany

Burg Herrieden is a medieval fortification in the Franconian town of Herrieden with stone walls, towers and bastions from various periods. The complex displays the typical features of a defensive castle with its fortification structures and residential buildings.

Burg Herrieden was first mentioned in 1122 as the seat of the bailiffs of the Eichstätt collegiate foundation, held by the Counts of Oettingen; the Lords of Herrieden are documented there from 1169. In 1314 the town sided with Frederick the Fair against King Louis IV, who besieged and stormed it; on 23–24 March 1316 Louis stayed in the camp and had the bones of Saint Deocar raised. Rebuilt from 1396 to 1412 under Bishop Frederick IV of Eichstätt, the castle burned in 1490, was rebuilt 1508–1510 by Bishop Gabriel von Eyb, burned again by the Swedes in 1633, and became a prince-bishopric brewery in 1685.

Herrieden's castle was the seat of the bailiffs of the Eichstätt collegiate foundation, held by the Counts of Oettingen, with the Lords of Herrieden documented there from 1169. The gate tower carries a sandstone relief of a kneeling bishop with the arms of the Diocese of Eichstätt, the cathedral chapter and Bishop Friedrich IV, dated 1412. Since 1685 the complex has housed a brewery, private since 1806.

The complex sits at the northeastern edge of Herrieden's old town and is folded into the town wall, so it is reached on foot from the centre. Access runs over a partly buried arch bridge to the gate tower with its basket-arched passage. The site is owned by the town of Herrieden since 2009; the former episcopal brewery buildings are not a freely walkable ruin throughout.

The gate tower's inner sandstone relief, dated 1412 in its inscription, shows Bishop Friedrich IV of Eichstätt kneeling before a saint, with the coats of arms of the diocese, cathedral chapter and bishop. The main building keeps a barley steeping vat from the former prince-bishop's brewery, which became private in 1806.