The first written reference to the Veldenz castle was in the year 1156 (possibly a few years earlier). Frederick I (Barbarossa) confirmed the holding by Bishop Albert I of Verdun of the castle together with the surrounding land.
Since the 12th century, the Counts of Veldenz have been the feudal lords of the land and the castle, which became centre of the County of Veldenz. In 1286 Rudolf von Habsburg granted Veldenz city and market charters.
In 1444 the castle and associated lands passed to the Counts Palatine of Zweibrücken, after failure of the Veldenz male line. They and their successors remained in possession of the castle and county until the year 1694, even though during the intervening Thirty Years War followed approximately 150 years later by the Palatinian Succession War the castle was occupied by Swedish, Spanish and French troops.
In 1681, the castle was destroyed. In the following years, the owner moved and often used the ruin as a quarry. Over time it belonged to the Electorate of the Palatinate and Bavaria. Since 1807, it is in private hands and is now owned by the Haufs-Brusberg family.
In the 15th century the site was the largest castle in the Central Moselle. This fact would appear to explain the German term Schloss in its name. At the same time it distinguishes the castle of Nohfelden known in German as 'Burg Veldenz'.
The extensive ruins of the spur castle were underpinned and partly rebuilt in the 19th century. They are on a high hill spur that drops away steeply on three sides. They are almost 100 metres long and 30 metres wide.
On the main defensive side in the north, and similarly on the southern flank, is a strategic bastion. The bergfried in the east was not rebuilt, in contrast to the palas with its distinctive stepped gable, which is now used as a restaurant.
References:The ancient Argos Theater was built in 320 BC. and is located in Argos, Greece against Larissa Hill. Nearby from this site is Agora, Roman Odeon, and the Baths of Argos. The theater is one of the largest architectural developments in Greece and was renovated in ca 120 AD.
The Hellenistic theater at Argos is cut into the hillside of the Larisa, with 90 steps up a steep incline, forming a narrow rectilinear cavea. Among the largest theaters in Greece, it held about 20,000 spectators and is divided by two landings into three horizontal sections. Staircases further divide the cavea into four cunei, corresponding to the tribes of Argos A high wall was erected to prevent unauthorized access into the theatron and may have helped the acoustics, but it is said the sound quality is still very good today.
Around 120 CE, both theaters were renovated in the Roman style.