Giechburg Castle, Schesslitz, Germany

First mentioned in 1125, Giechburg castle was in possession of Bamberg's prince-bishops since 1390. During wartimes it burned down several times, was rebuilt, destroyed again and rebuilt once more in 1600. In 1971 the administrative district of Bamberg bought Giechburg castle and restored it. Nowadays Giechburg castle is a popular excursion destination including a restaurant which offers a venue for meetings and cultural events. At an altitude of 520 metres you can enjoy a wonderful view across the region of Bamberg. Various art exhibitions take place in the donjon regularly.

Archeological evidence indicates that this hilltop was fortified as far back as Neolithic times. From 1421 until 1459, a period of disorder associated with the Hussites in nearby Bohemia, the castle was further fortified and strengthened until it took its final form as a mature medieval castle with a keep.

As gunpowder warfare matured, Giechburg was no longer useful as a strongpoint. It was adaptively reused by the prince-bishops, especially Johann Philipp von Gebsattel, as a hunting lodge and by later prince-bishops as the headquarters of a horse farm. However, with secularization in 1802, Giechburg no longer had an owner with an interest in maintenance and upkeep. The former castle was used as a quarry for dressed stone, and became a ruin.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Tony Gilligan (6 months ago)
Lovely Castle to visit near Bamberg

Pepi Vidic (8 months ago)
Very nice place

Dave Pearson (8 months ago)
Jeez, this place has a fantastic view and on a clear evening you can see over 100 kilometres onto the horizon. Full of history and if you get there in the late afternoon you’ll still get a bite to eat and a loo! Otherwise it’s into the bushes if you have too.. unfortunately this is an area of customer service that is so lacking in much of Germany. The castle is well preserved and there is plenty to explore parking is ample and for hiking it’s a dream.

Nadia Nädler (8 months ago)
It is a place of outstanding natural beauty. Absolutely spectacular views from the hilltop. Also there is a restaurant with good Bavarian menu. There are walking paths through the woods. Parking is free.

Andreas Freibert (11 months ago)
A nicely maintained castle that can be easily combined with other sights close by

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Nicola since 1972

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