Weißenstein Castle

Germany, Germany

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Weißenstein Castle is a dramatic medieval castle ruin located on a quartz ridge above the village of Weißenstein near Regen in the Bavarian Forest.

Built around 1100 by the Counts of Bogen, it later passed to the Dukes of Bavaria and the influential Degenberg family, who rebuilt it after it was destroyed during the Böckler War in 1468. The castle continued to play a regional role until the 17th and 18th centuries, when it suffered damage during the Thirty Years’ War and was ultimately destroyed in 1742.

Afterward, it remained a ruin, although some associated buildings survived and were reused. Today, the restored ruins are open to visitors and offer impressive views of the surrounding Bavarian Forest. The site is also known for the nearby “Fressendes Haus” (“The House that Eats”), once home to writer Siegfried von Vegesack and now a museum and literary archive.