Schloss Karlstein, Medieval castle in Regenstauf, Germany

Schloss Karlstein is a quadrilateral castle complex with two stories, an interior courtyard, and a southern facade featuring battlements and polygonal turrets in neo-Gothic design. The entire property extends across expansive grounds with outbuildings positioned to the southwest and a main entrance on Schloßparkstraße.

The name Karlstein likely derives from Chadolthstein, the castle of Chadolth. The Hofer von Lobenstein were the first lords; before 1381 the estate was mortgaged to the Leuchtenbergs, who rebuilt the castle in 1393. In 1632 Swedish general Craz plundered it during the Thirty Years' War. After 1900 the castle was enlarged and rebuilt in neo-Gothic style, giving it its present form.

The Saint Ulrich chapel on the southern wing serves as an active place of worship with weekly Catholic services and holds the burial memory of local noble families. This shows how castles of this period functioned as both religious and family centers.

The property is best reached by car, with parking available on the grounds. Comfortable shoes are recommended since the area is large with multiple paths to explore throughout the estate.

The castle passed in 1989 from Carl Ludwig Graf von Drechsel, who died childless, to his nephew Franz Graf von Drechsel of Wolfersdorf; the Wolfersdorf branch had sold its own estate near Bernhardswald in the 1980s after inheritance disputes. The Karlstein estate had comprised 984 hectares in 1941.