Wenzelschloss, Medieval castle in Lauf an der Pegnitz, Germany

Wenzelschloss is a medieval castle on a small island in the Pegnitz River, in the Bavarian town of Lauf an der Pegnitz. Its gate tower is decorated with the Bohemian coat of arms and a figure of Saint Wenceslas, and the building rises over several floors above the water.

Charles IV, king of Bohemia and later Holy Roman Emperor, bought Lauf and the surrounding Pegnitz lands in 1353 and from 1356 had a new castle built on the site of an earlier Hohenstaufen castle destroyed in 1301. It served as the last overnight stop on Bohemian soil before entering Nuremberg. In 1373 the still unfinished castle passed to the Wittelsbachs.

The heraldic hall displays coats of arms of noble families on its walls, giving visitors a direct look at who held power in the region during the Middle Ages. The hall is still used for civil weddings today, which gives the space an ongoing role in local life.

The castle is open only on certain days, so checking ahead before visiting is a good idea. Access is through the island, and it is worth arriving with some time to spare to take in the setting around the river.

The name comes from a statue of Saint Wenceslas on the gate tower, added in the 17th century together with the Bohemian coat of arms. The heraldic hall's 112 coats of arms were only uncovered in 1934 beneath a layer of old paint.