Hessenstein Castle (Ederbringhausen)

Hessenstein Castle is located on the western edge of the Kellerwald, about 1.7 km southeast of the Ederbringhausen district of the municipality of Vöhl in the Waldeck-Frankenberg district in Hesse, Germany.

The hilltop castle is situated in a secluded forest location on a 327 m high, southern mountain spur of the Keseberg (), on whose northern foothills the Keseburg ruin lies. About 500 m west of Hessenstein Castle flows the Eder, which flows into the Edersee about 7 km further north near Herzhausen. Hikers can reach the castle via the Kellerwaldsteig or the Barbarossaweg.

The castle was built between 1328 and 1342 by Landgrave Heinrich II of Hesse on the remains of the old "Silburg" as a replacement for the Keseburg, which had been destroyed by his father in 1277, in order to have a permanent official residence for his local bailiffs. In 1348, under pressure from the Archbishop of Mainz, the castle was pledged to Haina Monastery. In the following centuries, various castlemen, lords of the castle, and count palatines resided at Hessenstein; for example, the count palatines of Goddelsheim were for a time appointed as administrators at Hessenstein by the abbot of Haina Monastery, as members of the monastery.

From 1555 onwards, after the introduction of the Reformation in Hesse, the castle was the seat of the Landgrave's office of Hessenstein and was administered by rent masters. In 1821, a district forestry association was established at Hessenstein Castle. In 1922, the castle became the first Hessian youth hostel. It is thus one of the oldest youth hostels in Germany. Through complete reconstruction and extensive renovation measures, it meets today's requirements. The facades of the main building and the gatehouse were largely preserved as they were built in the 14th century by Heinrich the Iron.