Wegelnburg Castle

Wegelnburg Castle, locally known as just Wegelnburg, lies in the woods southwest of the village of Nothweiler, in the Rhineland-Palatinate region in Germany. It is situated just some 300 m from the border with France.

Wegelnburg Castle was probably built by the Hohenstaufen dynasty in the 12th or early 13th century to protect the border of their territory. It was first mentioned in 1247. In 1272 (or 1282 depending on the source) the castle was taken, after a breach of peace, by troops of the Prince-Bishopric of Strasbourg and came into the possession of Rudolf I of Germany.

As a royal possession and cared for by ministerials the castle was enlarged in the next decades. In 1330 it was pledged to the Electoral Palatinate and never redeemed. In 1417 the castle passed to the Dukes of Palatine-Zweibrücken.

After being repaired and enlarged during the 16th and 17th centuries Wegelnburg Castle was taken and damaged by imperial mercenaries during the Thirty Years' War, later in the 17th century.  It was probably already a ruin when it was demolished in 1679 by French troops under the terms of the Treaties of Nijmegen.

Wegelnburg Castle was built upon a large sandstone rock and is the highest castle in the Palatinate Forest. It is freely accessible. A nice castle ruin.

Just over the border, in France, some 600 m and 800 m respectively, to the south lie the castles of Hohenbourg and Lœwenstein. Fleckenstein Castle, also in France, is also nearby.

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