Burgstall Neuhaus

The Burgstall Neuhaus stands on a narrow ridge at 537 metres above sea level, north-east of Geyern in Mittelfranken. It was once a small spur castle built to guard the surrounding land. The site overlooks rolling farmland and distant woods, giving it a quiet, elevated position. Ulrich Putendorffer sold the place in 1383 to Berthold Schenk von Geyern for 1,800 Hungarian and Bohemian gulden. The castle’s early owners belonged to the Buttendorf and Leonrod family of Reichsministerials. By the 15th century the lords of Geyern held Neuhaus, though its isolated setting soon made it hard to maintain. The castle is worth a visit for its clear traces of medieval life. Archaeologists have dated the remains to the 12th or 13th century. A deep neck ditch cuts across the ridge, protecting the inner ward where a tall keep once stood. Written records from 1435 show Ritter Jorg Schenk von Geyern as its owner, with lands at Pfraunfeld and rights to tithes in Raitenbuch. By the 16th century the structure was already described as abandoned and decayed. Today the site is protected as a scheduled monument by the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments. Visitors find a grassy mound marked by the old neck ditch and exposed foundations. A single information board explains the layout of the keep and surrounding buildings. The ridge offers wide views over the gentle Franconian countryside. There are no modern buildings on the site, so the ruins blend quietly into the landscape. A short walk from the nearest farm track brings one to the edge of the ditch, where the castle’s vanished walls once rose.