Burg Stein, Medieval castle ruin in Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
Burg Stein is a castle ruin in Nassau located between the Lahn valley and the Mühlbach stream. The remaining walls show a rectangular layout with a central tower, and visitors can still trace where the main residential building once stood.
The castle was first recorded in 1158 as the seat of a noble family whose name it bears. Over time, the family moved their main residence to a converted building in the town below, leaving the hilltop fortress to decline.
The name comes from the family that once governed here, and their influence shaped the valley's character over centuries. Walking around the ruins, you notice how a noble household's daily life was tied to controlling the river crossing and trade routes below.
You can reach the site by walking up paths from the town of Nassau. The ruins are open to explore, though the ground is uneven and there are no facilities on site, so plan accordingly.
During the Thirty Years' War, the family abandoned the hilltop and moved into a converted tithe barn in the town below. That repurposed building became their new residence and still stands today.
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