Maienburg, Medieval castle ruin in Winkels, Germany.
Maienburg is a castle ruin perched on a basalt cone near Mengerskirchen-Winkels. It retains walls, three round towers, and a central keep that stands as the most recognizable structure on the hilltop.
First recorded in 1331, the fortress controlled an important administrative region for the counts of Nassau-Dillenburg. It was abandoned around 1600 and has stood empty ever since.
The ruins show how medieval people built fortifications into the landscape as symbols of power and control. The site served as a strategic point for managing the surrounding region and its trade routes.
The ruin sits deep in dense forest northwest of Mengerskirchen-Winkels and is best reached on foot. The approach follows forest paths up to the site, where visitors can see the defensive ditches that once protected the castle.
The central keep has noticeably different wall thicknesses on its inner and outer surfaces, which was not typical for medieval fortifications. This unusual design suggests the structure may have been reinforced or repaired at a later stage of its use.
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