Discover Medieval Castle Gräfenstein in Germany

Discover Medieval Castle Gräfenstein in Germany Gräfenstein Castle (German: Burg Gräfenstein) is a ruined rock castle located about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) east of Merzalben in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It is located in the Palatine Forest in the county of Südwestpfalz and is commonly referred to as Merzalber Schloss (“Merzalben Castle“). It is constructed on a 12 meter (39 ft) high rock plateau at an elevation of 447 meters (1,467 ft) above sea level. The Saarbrücken counts, who had lost their fortress and needed a new one, built medieval Gräfenstein Castle. The exact date of the castle’s construction is unknown, though the earliest record dates to a 1237 partition deed by the counts of Leiningen. However, based on the castle’s design and materials, it can be estimated that it was built between 1150 and 1200. Another hint is the restoration of the stone fortress in 1168, which coincides with the start of construction on Gräfenste