Kronberg Castle

Kronberg Castle is a high medieval rock castle in Kronberg im Taunus, a town in the Hochtaunuskreis (Hesse).

The castle is located on a 400 m a.s.l. spur of the Altkönig on the southern slope of the Taunus. Nearby are the castle ruins of Falkenstein, about three kilometers as the crow flies, and Königstein Castle, about four kilometers away, both in a northwesterly direction, in the neighboring town of Königstein im Taunus.

Around 1220 to 1230, the upper castle of Kronberg Castle was founded by the Lords of Eschborn on behalf of the Emperor on Staufer crown land with a "Freiturm" as a keep.
In keeping with the times, alternating white limestone and black Lungstein were used for the entrance to the upper castle and the window of the gate chapel above it.

In the 14th century, the construction of the middle castle, consisting of the Kronen- and Flügelstammhaus, two residential buildings built at an angle, was begun and named after the family of Cronberg. From 1318 to 1322, the Kronenstammhaus was erected. Around 1505, the Flügelstammhaus with kitchen and large fireplace was completed, the keep with its high entrance at a height of 7 meters and a base area of 8.5 by 8.5 meters was raised to 42.5 m. The height of the shield wall is 12.5 meters. In the 17th century, the stepped gables were replaced by the curvilinear gables still preserved today. In 1704, the castle fell to the Elector of Mainz, whose bailiff had his official residence there until 1710. The castle served as a Catholic school and town prison.

During the Napoleonic Wars, the castle was occupied by French troops. Due to the reorganization of the empire, Kronberg belonged to Prussia from 1866. In 1871, the castle – the castle chapel was already to be demolished – was so dilapidated that Crown Princess Victoria, wife of the later Emperor Frederick III, had the complex renovated. The renovation work was continued after her death by her son-in-law Friedrich Karl von Hessen-Kassel-Rumpenheim. Around 1911, the Prinzenturm was completed (its gate comes from Frankfurt-Praunheim). The castle was reopened to the public on May 25, 1912, the main building on June 1, 1913.

In 1992, the city of Kronberg acquired the castle from the Hessian House Foundation; in 1994, the "Burg Kronberg im Taunus" Foundation was established. From 2001–2002, the "Oberburg" and by 2004 the other buildings were fundamentally renovated. In 2012, the renovation of the west wing of the castle, built from 1320 onwards, began, which was made possible by a donation of 2 million Euros and is expected to be completed in 2013.

Today, the castle, which offers a very beautiful view of the Rhine-Main plain, serves as a museum and is used for events.
The castle is integrated into the 3-Castle-Trail Königstein – Falkenstein – Kronberg, created in 2013 by the Taunusklub e.V.