Burg Mellnau, Medieval castle ruins in Wetter, Germany.
Burg Mellnau is a medieval castle ruin featuring a circular tower roughly 9.5 meters in diameter with surviving ring walls forming an oval shape around the complex. The tower can be reached by climbing 89 steps, from where visitors gain views across the surrounding landscape.
Archbishop Siegfried III of Mainz built the fortress in 1248 to control trade routes connecting Frankfurt, Wetzlar, and Lower Saxony. The structure held strategic importance in this region of commerce and movement.
The ruins serve as a nesting ground for falcons that breed in the ancient stone walls each year. Visitors may spot these birds circling above during breeding season if they time their visit accordingly.
To enter the tower, visitors must obtain a key from the nearby Kuckuckshütte before climbing. The ascent requires some physical fitness as the steps are steep and the opening at the top is narrow.
Since 2009, couples can marry at the site and plant a new rose bush during their ceremony on the historical grounds. Each year new rose bushes grow across the old castle grounds as a result.
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