Lewenhain Castle

The Raubschloss Ringethal (or Burg Lewenhain) is a vanished spur castle on a rock spur above the Zschopau west of Ringethal in Saxony. The complex was probably built in the 13th century.

The first documented mention dates from 1221 as the manor Vlricus de Ringenhagen. Due to its location, the complex can be classified as a spur castle. It had an irregular core work of about 15 by 22 meters on a rock cliff above a bend in the Zschopau. The core work was built over with artificial ruins in 1804. In front of it, running from west over the north side to east, is a section ditch about 7 to 8 meters wide and an outer rampart 5 meters wide. The ditch is about 8 meters lower than the core work plateau. The outer rampart incorporates or bypasses natural rock cliffs. To the north and east, in front of this rampart, there is another ditch and an outer rampart. To the south and southeast, the steep slope forms the natural boundary.

The Lordship of Ringethal consisted of the knight's seat Ringethal and the farming villages of Falkenhain, Hermsdorf, and Erlebach. Initially established on the Arnsberg (hermitage) in a Zschopau bend on a rock spur, the seat of power was moved to the Raubschloss in 1315.