Waischenfeld Castle (Ruin)

The castle ruin Waischenfeld stands on a rock plateau a few meters west of the town of Waischenfeld in Upper Franconia.

First indications of a castle in the town of Waischenfeld date back to 1079, when Wirint von Waischenfeld, a member of a prominent noble family in the area of the middle Wiesent, was mentioned in a document. The Waischenfelds were related to the dynastic family of the Lords of Aufseß.

The hilltop castle was first mentioned in a document as Urbs in 1122. After the death of Ulrich von Waischenfeld, the last of the Waischenfeld lineage, the castle and lordship of Waischenfeld passed to Eberhard III von Greifenstein after 1216, who built a new castle, Schlüsselberg Castle, south of Waischenfeld. Waischenfeld Castle and town came into the possession of the Diocese of Bamberg after the death of Konrad II von Schlüsselberg in 1348.

In 1430, the castle was severely damaged during the Hussite Wars, and subsequently, between 1438 and 1562, it was repeatedly pledged by the diocese to nobles.

The castle suffered further destruction between 1552 and 1553 in the Second Margrave War, in which Margrave Albrecht Alcibiades of Brandenburg-Kulmbach primarily fought the (Catholic) prince-bishoprics and sought supremacy in Franconia.

During this time, the castle was captured three times by the margravial troops; after being plundered, it was burned down on June 7, 1553.

The old castle served as a granary from about 1600 and slowly fell into disrepair. The ruin was finally demolished in 1876/77 and 1889.