Top 14 Castles around Rattiszell

Mitterfels Castle Mitterfels was an important administrative and defensive center of the Counts of Bogen. It was first documented in 1194 under Berchtholdus de Mitterfels. In 1242, the castle, along with the rich Bogen inheritance, passed to the Wittelsbach dukes. In 1280, Mitterfels was already mentioned in the ducal urbar as a regional court. In the following centuries, Mitterfels was expanded into a stronghold and manned by guardians. Little is known about the medieval history of the castle; it was apparently spared from the Hussite invasions around 1400 because it was over-fortified. During the Lower Bavarian knightly revolts of the Böckler and Löwler families, Mitterfels always fought on the side of the territorial lords. In 1634, Mitterfels was captured by the Swedes. In 1742, the castle was unsuccessfully besieged by Trenck the Pandur during the War of the Austrian Succession. Mitterfels lost all military importance in the 19th century, and its defensive structures gradually fell into disrepair. In 1812, the keep collapsed. Around 2000, the dilapidated medieval remains were excavated and secured with funds from the Free State of Bavaria. The castle lies at the end of a long mountain spur overlooking the Menach or Perlbach valley. The path to the castle leads over a three-arched bridge made of rubble and brick, which crosses the deep moat. According to an inscription, the bridge dates from 1791. The entrance to the inner castle was the keep, made of humped ashlars, which, judging by historical illustrations, also served as a gate tower. Today, most of the remains are covered by a prison. Adjacent to the keep stands the most clearly visible part of the medieval castle today: the high shield wall. To the left of the entrance area lies the stump of a wall tower and the Pflegschloss (Peasant Castle) and courthouse, which dates back to the 18th century and replaced the palace. Today, the town hall is housed there. Walking past the Pflegschloss, you descend over the former wall of the inner castle to a terrace in front. There you will find the castle's most impressive structure: the surrounding moat with its protruding round wall towers. This elaborate defensive structure probably dates back to the 15th century and was equipped with numerous loopholes. Source: www.burgenseite.de

Neuhaus Castle Ruins Neuhaus was first documented in 1254 as the property of "Otto de novo castro." He likely descended from the Sattelbogen family, whose ancestral castle was located a few kilometers east of the town; today, it is only documented as a castle ruin. The name "Neuhaus" itself indicates the status of a later-founded "branch." Originally, the Sattelbogers were ministeriales of the Counts of Bogen, then of the Bavarian dukes. Especially in the 14th century, the family spread to many surrounding castles, including Lichteneck, Zandt, and Thierlstein. Milot and Jakob "von dem Newnhaus" provide evidence for Friedrich Sattelboger in 1320. Friedrich was an influential ministeriale of the Bavarian dukes and guardian of Cham. By 1351, Konrad Sattelboger was the owner of Neuhaus. In 1373, part of the castle passed to Seitz Buchberger, and in 1481 to the Hohenstaufen von Ehrenfels, who administered the castle as a Bavarian Hofmark. In 1573, the Sattelbogen family died out, and the owners of Neuhaus changed frequently during this time. The castle was destroyed during the Thirty Years' War and never rebuilt. In 1829, it was acquired by the House of Thurn and Taxis, now privately owned. All that remains of the medieval castle are the outer walls of the tower-like palace, parts of the rampart, and the moat walls. The palace windows on the second floor have seating niches, making it likely that they were built in the late Middle Ages. To the north, parts of buildings can still be identified today. Based on Apian's depiction, two main buildings with a courtyard between them can be assumed. The ruins lie on a hill, at the foot of which a second circular wall with semicircular towers and a circular moat were built, something probably unique in Bavaria. The moat could have been flooded by a stream. A half-covered, round tower with a wall thickness of 1.5 m stands outside the main castle at the foot of the hill in the moat wall. It is unclear whether it can be considered a keep or—more likely—a later added wall tower. The many modern additions detract from the overall appearance. Source: Excerpts from www.burgenseite.de

Neurandsberg Castle Ruins The Ramspergs were originally ministeriales of the Counts of Bogen and were first mentioned in 1190. Their seat was in Altrandsberg, two kilometers north in the Cham district. In 1330, Friedrich the Ramsperg probably built the new castle on his own land. Many Ramspergs entered Bavarian service at the end of the 14th century as stewards, for example, in Saulburg and Mitterfels. In the Hussite Wars around 1430, the Ramspergs fought for the Bavarian duke, but soon became involved in military conflicts with him over compensation. This did not do them any good: in 1436, Duke Ernst had Neuramsperg Castle conquered by Haimeran Heuraus. Unlike nearby castles such as Neunussberg, Neurandsberg was never returned to its owners, but instead became a ducal manor. In 1461, Dukes Sigismund and John visited the castle. The dukes gave the castle to Jörg Heuraus, the guardian of Mitterfels, followed by Sattelbogen, Nussberger, and the Nothaft of Wernberg, among others. In 1582, a prison was established at the castle, but in 1615, it was moved to Mitterfels to serve as the district court. In 1633, the Swedes under Colonel Georg Christoph von Taupadell destroyed the castle, and it was never rebuilt. In 1689, guardian of the castle Erttl of Mitterfels asked Elector Max Emmanuel for permission to rebuild the wooden chapel below the castle, which was threatened by rubble. This was approved, and the castle ruins were used as a quarry. Upon entering the complex, the first thing that catches your eye is the well-preserved and elaborate Zwinger (mew). The entire castle is surrounded by it, and the walls are topped with several semicircular towers. The north side, opposite the entrance, is particularly elaborately constructed, with three towers and a wall with a battlement. The original access to the complex is no longer immediately recognizable. Access to the inner castle is, in any case, through a simple gateway in the south of the polygonal circular wall made of rubble stone. The interior of the inner castle is difficult to discern, revealing its structural layout. The buildings were likely leaning against the inner wall, some of which are still well preserved. The site is still being secured. Source: Excerpts from www.burgenseite.de

St. Joseph's Castle Chapel Built on medieval castle walls and dedicated to St. George as a castle chapel. In 1693 a new building was built in honor of the Holy Family, especially St. Joseph, with the founding of a St. Joseph's Brotherhood by Baroness Theresia von Weichs. Devastated by fire in 1807, the church was rebuilt with changes. In 1888, the tower and roof structure burned out again due to a lightning strike, and the tower was given a crenellated crown when the new building was built. In 1897, it was expanded to its current size with neo-baroque interior design. In 1967, the church was completely remodeled, with the ceiling and roof structure being renewed and the interior redesigned. From 1991 to 1993, it was renovated again, restoring the original condition and returning the late baroque altar and the figures of saints. The renovated church and the people's altar were consecrated on March 21. Source: information board

Falkenfels Castle Around 1100, the Counts of Bogen built the castle on the rock that slopes steeply on three sides. From 1232, the Knights of Hohenfels ruled the castle, and from 1400, the Falkensteiners of Falkenfels. In 1331, “Valkenfelss” is mentioned in a copy from the 15th century as a landed estate. In 1425, the castle came into the possession of the Frauenbergers and remained so until their extinction in 1480. The castle was plundered by the Hussites in 1425 and conquered by troops of Duke Albrecht IV in the Böckler War in 1468. The Frauenbergers were followed by the Paulsdorfers. In the Löwler War, the castle was besieged for a week in 1492 and burned down after the capitulation on June 8, 1492, but was then rebuilt by Hans von Paulsdorf. In 1525, the property passed to the Seyboltstorffer family through marriage. From 1607 to 1796, the noble family of Barons von Weichs owned Falkenfels Castle. In the Thirty Years' War, the castle was set on fire by the Swedes in 1641, but was then rebuilt. On April 15, 1796, Josef Maria von Weichs sold Falkenfels and the associated manorial estates to Baron Gabriel von Buchstetten for 320,000 guilders. In 1807, the castle was again burned down, but was rebuilt. After the end of the Falkenfels manorial estate, the castle economy was destroyed in 1820. In 1821, the Lang family acquired the castle and set up a brewery here, which lasted until 1934. In 1925, a fire destroyed large parts of the complex, after which it was only partially rebuilt. From 1919 to 1950, the castle belonged to the Schimmelmann family. On May 8, 1951, the furniture manufacturer Franz Xaver Baier from Straubing bought the castle and converted it into a hotel with a restaurant. The castle was also increasingly used as a conference and congress building. Since 2001, the castle has belonged to the publisher Udo Sieber. Falkenfels Castle was originally surrounded by two terraced ring walls, one above the other. Today, the fortifications are only preserved on the north side. Approximately in the middle of the east side is the keep from the 13th century, the battlements are from a later period. The baroque castle chapel of St. Joseph was built in the 17th century on medieval foundations. It contains gravestones of Falkenfels castle lords. The outer areas of Falkenfels Castle are freely accessible, otherwise it serves as a castle hotel and restaurant. Source: Excerpts from www.wikipedia.de

Mitterfels Castle is beautifully situated. You can be in the Perlbach Valley in no time. In summer there are regular events in the courtyard.

Great hiking trails around the castle

Admission to the tower now costs €1. In the tower itself you can see a few torture tools. At the top of the tower there are panels in all directions, showing what you can see near and far.