Schkölen Castle

Schkölen Castle is a partially preserved moated castle at 210 m above sea level in the center (Ringstraße 9) of the town of Schkölen in the Saale-Holzland district in Thuringia. - Until 1977, the ruins of the moated castle lay almost forgotten and overgrown with bushes in the middle of the small town.

The founding of the moated castle probably goes back to an originally Slavic ring fort from the 10th century.

In 1031, a "Szolin" burgward was mentioned for the first time. In the 15th century, the castle was expanded, burned down in 1536, and fell into disrepair. In the 19th century, the castle served as a forester's lodge, and excavations took place in 1968 and 1989.

Former owners mentioned are Count Wiprecht von Groitzsch at the end of the 11th century, Henry the Lion in 1158, and the Lords of Bünau in the 15th century.

The castle complex is a castellated, rectangular complex with a two-story half-timbered residential building and a round tower.