Grafenburg, Island castle and town hall in Lauffen am Neckar, Germany.
The Grafenburg is an island castle and the town hall of Lauffen am Neckar, located on an island in the Neckar River. The structure features a rectangular residential tower with thick stone walls and served as an important administrative center for the region across many centuries.
The castle was founded in the early 11th century by the Counts of Lauffen and changed ownership several times over the centuries. In 1818 the building became the town hall and has served this administrative function ever since.
The building serves as the town hall today and shapes the local identity of Lauffen am Neckar with its historical presence. People use the space for civic matters, while the island itself remains a distinctive landmark in the community.
The building is reached from the mainland by a bridge that connects the island to the town. The surrounding area offers cycling and walking paths that make the location easy to access and provide various views of the structure.
This structure is the only island castle along the entire Neckar River and combines both defensive and administrative functions. The combination of these two roles in one building makes it a rare example of medieval multi-purpose architecture.
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