Lichtenau Fortress, Medieval fortress in Lichtenau, Germany.
Lichtenau Fortress is a fortified complex in Bavaria featuring defensive walls, bastions, and casemates that overlook the valley. The structure combines medieval and later Renaissance elements in its architecture.
Nuremberg rulers acquired this fortification in 1406 and rebuilt it as a strategic outpost against Brandenburg-Ansbach. It later became a repository for archives and played an important role in Frankish regional history.
The fortress takes its name from the Lichtenau family who shaped the region. You can see today how the structure dominated the valley and reflected the medieval order of the area.
The inner courtyard is open to visitors and shows how the medieval fortification was laid out. The archive collections inside have specific visiting hours, so it is worth checking beforehand.
In 1688, the officer John Frederick Haller resisted French troops under Louis XIV rather than surrender. This defensive stand shaped how the fortress is remembered as a place of resistance in Frankish history.
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