Loch Castle

Burg Loch stands in the rolling countryside of the Upper Palatinate near Nittendorf. It is a cave castle, one of only two such ruins in Bavaria, carved into the rock and sealed with stone walls. The site overlooks fields and wooded slopes, giving it a dramatic setting. Eichhofen village, for which the castle serves as a symbol, lies close by. The Rammelstein family built the fortification in the 12th or 14th century to guard a hammer mill. The castle’s history is marked by inheritance disputes and changing ownership. After the Sauerzapfs moved out in the 17th century, the building fell into ruin. The Carthusian abbey of Prüll later took possession, followed by Bavarian state control. The last private owners attempted conservation before financial pressures led to abandonment. Today the Free State of Bavaria holds responsibility for the unrestored ruins. Visitors find a large cave room once used as living quarters, now open to the sky. Brick walls and a fireplace remain, along with traces of wooden panelling and doorways. Outside, a round bergfried built of ashlar rises intact, its walls nearly two metres thick at the base. The tower has medieval garderobes and windows, and was restored in 1989. A curtain wall and zwinger once enclosed the site, adding to its defensive character.