Burgstall Haselstein, Archaeological castle site in Floß, Germany

Burgstall Haselstein is a castle ruin standing at 705 meters altitude in state forest, surrounded by steep granite rock formations. The remains show medieval stonework and structural elements preserved within a wild, forested setting near Floß.

A castle stood on the Haselstein from about 1400 until the end of the 16th century; no medieval documents survive, and pottery, stove tiles, roof tiles, forged nails and iron arrowheads are the evidence of it. Around 1860 the ruins were remodelled into a terraced festival ground with dry-stone walls, which erased the original layout. Excavation and restoration in 2012 uncovered the tower remains and partly rebuilt the masonry, so its base is visible again.

From about 1860 until the late 1950s the Haselsteinfeste was held here, usually with performances by the singing clubs of Floß, Flossenbürg and Plößberg. Guests from Weiden, Neustadt and Vohenstrauß walked long distances to attend. The dry-stone walls visible today date largely from the 1860 remodelling of the site into a terraced festival ground.

The site is accessible via multiple hiking trails of varying difficulty, with the shortest route starting from the Small Gaisweiher parking area. The paths are best tackled in dry conditions since the rocks can be slippery and the ascent becomes steep near the top.

The dry-stone walls visible today are not medieval: they were built around 1860, when the ruin was remodelled into a terraced festival ground, which made the original castle layout unrecognisable. Excavation and restoration in 2012 uncovered the tower remains and partly rebuilt the masonry, so its base is visible again.