20 most beautiful medieval castles in Germany

10. Castle Lauenstein (Frankenwald) – The castle Lauenstein is a medieval Höhenburg at 550 m above sea level. NN above the Upper Franconian village of Lauenstein, a district of the city of Ludwigsstadt, southeast of it. With its location in the north of the Kronach district, the castle, whose oldest parts can be dated to the 12th century, is the northernmost castle in Bavaria.

The oldest parts of the castle dates back to the middle of the 12th century and was first documented as “Castro Lewinstein” in 1242. The castle was of great strategic importance due to its advanced position in the northern border area of ​​Franconia. Among other things, she was the property of the Counts of Merania and the Counts of Orlamünde. In 1427, the castle came into the lordship of the margrave Friedrich I of Brandenburg from the aristocracy of the Hohenzollerns.

In 1506, Ritter Heinrich von Thüna (d. 1513) was reigned with lordship and castle Lauenstein. Christoph von Thüna possessed the rule of Lauenstein between 1535 and 1585, including the forests around Ludwigsstadt, Ebersdorf, Lauenstein, Tettau and Langenau. From 1551 to 1554, Christoph von Thüna built the present main wing in Renaissance style with its diagonally placed four corner towers.