Hill castle
Hill castles are castles built on a natural high place that rises above the surrounding land. The term comes from the German Höhenburg and helps tell them apart from lowland castles (Niederungsburgen). They can be classified by where they sit on the landscape.
In the 10th and 11th centuries, castles began to be used as royal and noble residences rather than just fortresses, and hill castles were favored for their stronger defense. In Germany, about two-thirds of medieval castles are hill castles.
At first, only great nobles and kings could build them. From the 12th century, imperial ministeriales also built impressive hill castles, and the 13th century saw the lesser nobility follow.
Today, hill castles are mainly tourist attractions. They often offer great views, sometimes with an entrance fee, and many have restaurants or kiosks. If preserved, visitors may be able to go inside. Examples include Kriebstein Castle (spur castle), the Marksburg (hilltop castle), Ehrenfels Castle (hillside castle), and Schachenstein Castle (rock castle).
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 06:42 (CET).