Veste Erlangen

The Veste Erlangen was a medieval tower-hill castle west of Erlangen’s old town. First recorded in 1372 as property of Emperor Charles IV, it served as the local administrative centre until the 16th century. Later it became a prison and refuge during wars, especially after heavy damage in the Thirty Years’ War. The site is worth visiting for its layered history and the 1981 discovery of the castle well. Archaeologists found three layers of sandstone lining and dated the wooden ring at the bottom to 1710. The finds show the well remained in use until the fortress was finally demolished in 1783–84. Today nothing of the walls remains above ground. A tall steel pin and engraved plaque mark the spot on Fuchsengarten 5. Nearby, a 19th-century plaque on Pfarrstraße recalls the site, though its text is historically inaccurate.