Who built the Ruine Eberstein?

It was built in the 12th century by the lords of Eberstein, a family first recorded in 1170.

What remains to see on site today?

Sections of the enclosing wall, the still visible entrance, the stump of the keep and the moat that still surrounds the site.

Can the ruin be visited freely?

Yes, it is an open-air site with no admission charge, reached via a forest path leading up the Tannenfels.

Where does the name Tannenfels come from?

The name appears from 1454, when the abandoned site belonged to the lords of the Tann, vassals of the Fulda abbey.

Ruine Eberstein

Brand (Hilders)

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Where: Brand (Hilders)

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Ruine Eberstein stands in Brand (Hilders) (Landkreis Fulda), in Hesse, Germany. Recorded dating: 11th century. Its opening hours and prices have not been verified at the source yet.

The Ruine Eberstein, also known as Burg Tannenfels or Tannfölsch, crowns the Tannenfels, a phonolite hill rising to 669.4 metres near Brand, a district of Hilders. Built in the 12th century by the lords of Eberstein, first recorded in 1170, it was torn down in 1282 on the joint orders of the Bishop of Würzburg and the Abbot of Fulda after years of feuding by its occupants. What survives today are sections of the enclosing wall, a still visible entrance, the stump of the keep, and a surrounding moat. The castle's original layout, a main ward and an outer bailey separated by a ditch, is known mainly from excavations carried out between 1960 and 1977.

What to know

The site sits in woodland on top of the Tannenfels and is reached only on foot.
It is an open-air ruin with no ticket office or set opening hours.
Only modest remains survive: wall sections, the entrance, the stump of the keep and a moat.
The climb requires a reasonable level of fitness, as the ruin stands on a wooded summit.
The area borders the Wickerser Hüte nature reserve, east of the Tannenfels.

Where this château is

Brand (Hilders) · Landkreis Fulda · Hessen

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Rupsroth, 36115 Hilders

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

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4.5 / 5from 13 Google reviews

Heritage status: Protection status unknown
Period of construction: 11th century

In pictures

Frequently asked

Who built the Ruine Eberstein?: It was built in the 12th century by the lords of Eberstein, a family first recorded in 1170.
Why was Burg Eberstein destroyed?: It was torn down in 1282 on the orders of the Bishop of Würzburg and the Abbot of Fulda, after repeated feuds led by its owners.
What remains to see on site today?: Sections of the enclosing wall, the still visible entrance, the stump of the keep and the moat that still surrounds the site.
Can the ruin be visited freely?: Yes, it is an open-air site with no admission charge, reached via a forest path leading up the Tannenfels.
Where does the name Tannenfels come from?: The name appears from 1454, when the abandoned site belonged to the lords of the Tann, vassals of the Fulda abbey.