Steineck Castle (Ruin)

Steineck Castle, also known as Steineckke or Nordeck, is a high medieval castle ruin near Steinach, in the municipality of Burglauer in the Lower Franconian district of Rhön-Grabfeld in Bavaria. The castle is located on an elevation protruding eastwards over the Franconian Saale from the Burglauer Forest.

Since the castle was situated on a slope, it was largely unsuitable as a defensive structure. Attackers could easily view it and fire upon it from the higher slope. Its location was rather intended for observation and monitoring of the Saale valley with the road running along the Saale.

The castle was first mentioned in a document in 1201, when King Philip of Hohenstaufen transferred it to Prince-Bishop Konrad von Querfurt of Würzburg.

The Steinecke ruin was in the hands of the Henneberg family clan, although disputed, but in 1240 Count Poppo VII was able to contractually secure the possessions of Talburg Steinaha and Steinecke Castle.

The last mention was in 1443 as a castle site (Burgstall), with which a certain Caspar von Ostheim was enfeoffed. According to tradition, the castle is said to have burned down on Christmas Eve.

Only remnants of walls and traces of ramparts and moats remain of the castle complex.

Layout of the Complex

The castle was divided into an outer bailey and a main castle. A deep neck ditch, still recognizable today, was located in front of the outer bailey. Wall remains on the front of the main castle suggest a shield wall.