The best walks and hikes around Rattiszell

St. Nicholas Church The exterior of this small church undoubtedly bears Romanesque features, suggesting a date between the end of the 10th and the middle of the 13th century. However, if one were to believe the old folk tale that a pagan temple once stood here, this would mean that the earliest origins of this church date back to pre-Christian times, and that this site was chosen as the successor to a pagan place of worship. In fact, St. Nicholas Church had declined in importance after the castle chapel had developed over time into the main church. The fact that skulls were once excavated around the church suggests that the cemetery was originally located here, and that, in the early days of the town's history, the dead were buried in St. Nicholas. In 1717, the church was remodeled in the Baroque style. It consists of the nave and the recessed, semicircular choir in the east. A shingled turret with an onion dome rises on the gable roof of the nave to the west. The high altar was built in the second half of the 17th century. Between two smooth, blue marbled columns with golden capitals, each supporting the entablature and the altarpiece, stands a statue of St. Nicholas, the church's patron saint, in a shrine with golden decorations. To the left is John the Baptist and to the right is St. Christopher. In the altarpiece stands a figure of St. Sebastian, accompanied by two angels. Among the figures, which are small in comparison to the columns, the altar features a large votive painting, a depiction of St. Anne and Her Three Children, a depiction of the Virgin Mary and her mother Anne holding the infant Jesus. At the top of the picture, the Holy Spirit is painted in the form of a dove. At the bottom of the picture, a married couple is depicted praying and apparently supplicating the saints. The coat of arms on the left identifies the man as Wilhelm von Paulsdorf, while the coat of arms on the right is that of his third wife, Helena von Ortenburg. Source: Excerpts from www.wikipedia.de / www.ak-heimatgeschichte.mitterfels-online.de

Beautiful viewpoint with shelter

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

Beautifully restored chapel. Maintained by the residents of Hirschberg

Viewpoint with bench

The platform no longer exists! A PITY

There used to be a viewing tower here, now there is only a table and 2 benches. But the view is still the same ;-)