Lohrer Schloss, Medieval castle in Lohr am Main, Germany

Lohrer Schloss, also called Kurmainzer Schloss, began around 1340 as a Flemish-style residential tower built by Count Gerhard V. von Rieneck at the northwest corner of Lohr am Main's old town. From the late 15th century a moat and a ring wall enclosed it, with a band house, forest house, coach house and cellar buildings nearby. The electors of Mainz, who took over in 1559, gradually gave it its present form.

Around 1340 Count Gerhard V. von Rieneck built a residential tower at the northwest corner of Lohr's old town; the castle was first documented in 1389. After the last Rieneck count, Philipp III, died in 1559, the prince electors of Mainz took over and gradually gave the building its present form as the seat of their Oberamtmänner. Bavaria acquired it in 1814 and used it as an administrative office until 1972.

Inside the castle, the Spessartmuseum displays how people shaped their lives around the forests of the Spessart region for centuries. The exhibits show traditional crafts and everyday practices that grew from the relationship between inhabitants and woodland resources.

The castle is open to visitors and offers guided tours through its various rooms and their original functions. Plan enough time to explore the museum sections, and be aware that steep stairs lead up to the towers.

Two brothers who lived in the castle during the 18th century went on to important church positions: one became Elector of Mainz and the other a Prince-Bishop. This connection reveals how closely noble families were tied to religious power in the region.