Ruine Frankenberg

The Burg Frankenberg stands as the remains of a medieval spur castle on the Schlossberg above Helmers in southern Thuringia. It sits on a ridge at 350 metres, 500 metres north of the village, overlooking the Rosagrund valley. The site once guarded an old trade route from Frankfurt to Erfurt that passed close by. A wide landwehr line was built nearby in the 15th century to protect the Henneberg border. The castle was begun at the end of the 11th century and first mentioned in 1137. It was held by the Lords of Frankenstein, who took their name from the hill. By 1180 Otto von Stein, a member of that family, appears as Otto von Frankenberg. After the Thuringian War of Succession the Henneberg counts received the castle in 1293 and made it the centre of an administrative district. The last noble resident, Heinz von der Tann, died there in 1521 as the buildings decayed. In 1525 armed peasants set fire to the ruin, and later storms and stone-robbing finished its decline. Today the core of the castle is still visible. The 24-metre-high keep survives, built of red sandstone ashlar with a high entrance 11 metres above ground. Beside it lie the foundations of the great hall and service buildings, all enclosed by three lines of wall. A flight of steps now leads up inside the tower, and a small wooden hut stands near the ruins. On Whit Sunday a Burgfest is held at the site, drawing visitors to the high view over the surrounding countryside.