Hohenstein Castle

The origins of Hohenstein Castle likely date back to the 11th century, although its first documented mention occurred in 1163, when Sicolinus von Hohenstein was named as the castle bailiff. Control of the castle changed hands multiple times: it was successively owned by the Counts of Sulzbach, the Staufer, the Wittelsbach, and the Luxembourg dynasties, before finally falling to the Bavarian dukes. A turning point was its acquisition by the Imperial City of Nuremberg in 1505 after the War of the Landshut Succession. The castle became the administrative seat of the Hohenstein administrative district and played a role in Nuremberg's defense. In the Second Margrave War in the mid-16th century, it was captured and severely damaged by the troops of Albrecht Alcibiades of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, but was later rebuilt.