Burgstall Leupoldstein

The Burgstall Leupoldstein stands on a steep dolomite rock ridge above the village of Leupoldstein in the Franconian Switzerland region. It was once a medieval spur castle built around the year 1100. The ruins lie just south-west of the village, close to the B2 road towards Hiltpoltstein. The site is worth visiting for its layered history and the stories of its destruction. King Wenzel ordered the partial demolition of the castle in 1397 because of its owners’ raids. Later, during the Hussite wars around 1430, it was finally ruined. The Bamberg bishops once owned the castle, and it passed through the hands of the von Wiesenthau and von Egloffstein families before fading from records in the 17th century. Visitors today find a quiet woodland clearing with scant traces of the past. Mörtelspuren and Hohlziegelreste mark where buildings once stood, and low walls of a probable tower survive in the east. Several benches are placed on the plateau, offering a place to rest and take in the view over the surrounding countryside.