Schloss Neuschloß

Schloss Neuschloß, also called Friedrichsburg, stands in the Lampertheim district of Neuschloß within the Bergstraße district of Hesse. Built in the late 15th century at the junction of three major roads, it began as a hunting lodge for the Electorate of the Palatinate. The original structure was later largely destroyed, leaving only a single outbuilding today.

The site witnessed key events in regional history. In 1496, the Elector Philipp the Upright hosted Duke Georg of Bavaria-Landshut here, where the duke made his controversial will naming his daughter Elisabeth as heir. During the Bavarian Feud in 1504, Hessian forces destroyed Friedrichsburg. After rebuilding between 1544 and 1556, the castle played a role in the politics of the Second Margrave War. The Thirty Years’ War brought further destruction in 1622, after which the ruins were gradually dismantled for building materials.

What remains is a two-storey former service and officials’ wing with a polygonal stair tower on a square base. The building now serves as residential flats in the modern Neuschloß district, home to over 1,440 people. The surrounding area was developed into a residential neighbourhood after the Second World War, covering the former castle grounds.