Burg Tierberg

Burg Tierberg stands on a steep spur above two converging valleys in Hohenlohe, between the Kocher and Jagst rivers. The 406-metre-high spur drops sharply on three sides, creating a natural defence. A deep neck ditch cuts off the approach from the east, while the Hirschbach stream joins the Weilersbach below the slope. Half a kilometre to the north lies another shield-wall castle, Burg Stetten, on a similar spur.

Built in 1220 by the lords of Langenburg, the castle secured two important trade routes. Arnold von Tierbach, their knight, gave his name to the fortress first mentioned in 1226. After passing to the counts of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, it became a hunting lodge and was enlarged in the 15th century. For five centuries the family used it for grand hunts, and during the Second World War its cellars stored books from Berlin University.

The outer bailey is ringed by a high curtain wall with a round tower and bastion. Inside, a second curtain wall protects the inner bailey and the 26-metre-high bergfried set in the 18-metre shield wall. The bergfried’s upper exits once gave access to wooden fighting platforms. A small courtyard links the shield wall to the great hall, while a later Jägerhaus beside the ditch forms the main entrance. On the spur’s tip two more buildings were added later.