Teufelsburg Castle

Teufelsburg Castle, locally known simply as the Teufelsburg, lies north of the village of Felsberg, in the Saarland region in Germany.

The castle's name, Teufelsburg (meaning 'Devil's Castle'), is a corruption of its historical name of Neu-Felsburg (meaning 'New Rock castle).

Teufelsburg Castle was built on a 320-meter-high mountain spur by John I, Duke of Lorraine, between 1354 and 1360. This was after its predecessor; Felsburg Castle, was destroyed to its foundations in 1341 by the Archbishop-Elector of Trier; Baldwin of Luxembourg. This predecessor, later called Alt-Felsburg (meaning Old Rock castle), had been situated on another mountain spur more northerly.

Teufelsburg Castle was first mentioned in 1370 when it was given as a fief to Arnold von Felsberg by the Duke of Lorraine. After Richard von Felsberg died in 1390, the castle passed to his widow; Sophie von Mersch. She later remarried with Werner von Hutzing-Neuerburg. When Sophie died in 1444, their son Johann started to call himself 'von Felsberg'. His daughter Anna married Bernhard von Pallant around 1460, thus bringing the castle into the hands of the Pallant family.

In 1612 the owners of Teufelsburg Castle moved out and from then on the castle was uninhabited. When the castle was destroyed is unknown. It is suspected that it fell prey to deliberate destruction by retreating French troops in 1677. In 1680 its ruin was used as a quarry for the building of the Fortress of Saarlouis. The castle was last mentioned in 1699.

In the second part of the 20th century the castle ruin was restored and partly rebuilt. 

Teufelsburg Castle can freely be visited. A very nice castle ruin offering a sweeping view of the Saar valley and the Hunsrück low mountain range.

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