Roßstein Castle

The exact time of the Roßstein castle's construction is not fully clarified, but it is presumed that Konrad Erlheimer had it built on his own land before 1331. From this year on, he demonstrably named himself after the castle. The name “Roßstein” derives from the Old High German “hros” (horse), which later developed into “ros” (charger), and indicates a “castle made of stone.” The castle presumably served to monitor important trade routes, such as the Iron Road and the Old Road, as well as to secure the border between the Regensburg dominion of Hohenburg, the Palatinate, and Bavaria. Around 1357, the castle came into the possession of Knight Rüdiger von Punzinger through marriage. A feud between the Punzingers and the city of Regensburg led to the castle being set on fire in 1411, after which it had to be fundamentally renewed by Andreas Punzinger. The lords of Roßstein moved their seat.