Castles and ruins in Thuringia

This collection highlights the diverse fortification landscape of Central Germany, primarily focusing on the Thuringian region. It features a range of architectural styles, from the 8th-century ruins of Mühlburg—the oldest of the Drei Gleichen group—to the grand Baroque Stadtschloss Eisenach. Visitors can explore specialized museums like the porcelain exhibition at Leuchtenburg, well-preserved medieval hilltop fortresses such as Burg Lauenstein, and atmospheric ruins like Haineck and Pöllnitz that document the region's feudal history and defensive evolution.

Castles and Ruins — Map

Varus111 / Public domain

A

Burg Creuzburg

A medieval hilltop castle northwest of Eisenach, once a residence of the Landgraves of Thuringia. It features a museum, a historic chapel, and is closely associated with the life of St. Elizabeth of Hungary.

Kiefer. / CC BY-SA 2.0

B

Stadtschloss Eisenach

An 18th-century Baroque palace located on Eisenach's market square. Formerly the residence of the Dukes of Saxe-Eisenach, it now houses the Thuringian Museum's collections of porcelain, art, and regional history.

SehLax / CC BY 2.5

C

Leuchtenburg

A well-preserved medieval hilltop castle known as the 'Queen of the Saale Valley.' It features the 'Porcelain Worlds' museum and a 20-meter skywalk offering panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

CTHOE / CC BY-SA 3.0

D

Burg Lauenstein

A 12th-century hilltop fortress featuring a mix of medieval and Renaissance architecture. The castle museum displays historic living quarters, weaponry, and regional heritage items.

Michael Sander / CC BY-SA 3.0

E

Mühlburg

The oldest of the three 'Drei Gleichen' castles, dating back to 704. The ruins include a 22-meter observation tower and a small museum documenting the site's archaeological history.

Murray Bosinsky / Public domain

F

Wachsenburg Castle

Wachsenburg Castle is a castle in Amt Wachsenburg in the Ilm-Kreis, Thuringia, Germany.

Aka / CC BY-SA 2.5

G

Mylau Castle

Mylau Castle is a fortification on a spur in Mylau, Vogtland, Saxony, Germany. It is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Saxony.

Michael Sander / CC BY-SA 3.0

H

Burg Lobenstein

Medieval castle ruins featuring a prominent 30-meter-high keep. The tower serves as a lookout point over the historic center of Bad Lobenstein and the surrounding Thuringian Slate Mountains.

Varus111 / Public domain

I

Burgruine Haineck

The ruins of a 14th-century hilltop castle near Nazza. The site preserves two defensive towers and portions of the curtain wall, located on the edge of the Hainich National Park.

Stefan C. Hoja / CC BY-SA 4.0

J

Schloss Friedrichswerth

A late 17th-century Baroque palace built by Duke Frederick I of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. The complex includes a symmetrical main building and a surrounding park, built on the site of a former moated castle.

K

Burg Pöllnitz

The ruins of a medieval moated castle located along the Pöllnitzbach. It represents the remains of a significant local noble seat in the Greiz district.

Metilsteiner / CC BY-SA 3.0

L

Schloss Bischofroda

A historic castle complex in the Wartburg region, originally developed from a medieval manor into a residential palace.

Büchner / Rein / Public domain

M

Schloss Neuscharfenberg

A Renaissance-style palace in Wenigenlupnitz, built in the 16th century on the foundations of an earlier medieval fortification.

Metilsteiner / CC-BY-SA-3.0

N

Burg Lengsfeld

A medieval fortification in the Felda valley, historically used for regional defense and later adapted for residential purposes.

Metilsteiner / CC-BY-SA-3.0

O

Schloss Feldeck

A former medieval fortification situated at the entrance of the Felda valley in Dietlas, historically significant for its strategic position.

Other Lists

Thuringia Essentials Heritage Sites of Thuringia Historic Churches & Monasteries Historic Towers & Viewpoints Regional Cuisine in Thuringia