Cultural heritage D-2-7345-0039 in Windorf

The Burg Windberg is the remains of a medieval spur castle on the Schlossberg hill above the market town of Windorf in Lower Bavaria. It stands on a flat-topped ridge between two steep-sided valleys, commanding wide views over the surrounding countryside. The site is listed as a protected archaeological monument under the reference D-2-7345-0039. The castle’s importance lies in its long history tied to powerful Bavarian families. First held by the Counts of Vornbach in the 11th century, it passed to the Andechs-Meranians in 1158. In 1207 King Philip of Swabia confirmed its sale to Bishop Manegold of Passau for 1,800 marks of silver and other lands. Political struggles followed, with the Bishops of Passau and the Wittelsbach dukes of Bavaria disputing control until the bishops retained only the castle itself as an administrative centre. Today visitors find a quiet hilltop with few visible ruins, yet the earthworks and gentle slopes still mark the former stronghold. The plateau offers sweeping vistas across the valleys below. Nearby, the parish church of St Jakobus stands about 500 metres to the southwest, linking the site to the living community. The absence of defensive walls makes the landscape feel open and pastoral rather than fortified.