Where is the Wegelnburg located?

It stands at Schönau (Pfalz), in the Südwestpfalz district of Rhineland-Palatinate, close to the French border.

Is the Wegelnburg the highest castle ruin in the Palatinate?

Yes, at 570.9 metres it is the highest-situated fortification in the whole region.

Can you go inside the Wegelnburg?

It is an open-air ruin that can be explored freely, with no enclosed building or organised guided tour.

How do you reach the Wegelnburg?

It is reached on foot, either via an access track from the southwest or a narrow path from the northwest.

When was the Wegelnburg destroyed?

French troops destroyed it in 1679 under the terms of the Treaty of Nijmegen, after it had likely already been damaged during the Thirty Years' War.

Wegelnburg

Schönau (Pfalz)

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Tickets and prices

Adult: Free

Prices and tickets on the château’s website

Where: Schönau (Pfalz)

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Open within 20 km

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Wegelnburg stands in Schönau (Pfalz) (Landkreis Südwestpfalz), in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The building is a listed Baudenkmal. Admission is free. Its opening hours and prices have not been verified at the source yet.

The Wegelnburg is a medieval ruin sitting at 570.9 metres above sea level, the highest point reached by any fortification in the Palatinate. Built along a narrow rock ridge right on the German-French border, it overlooks the Palatinate Forest with sightlines to several neighbouring castles such as Hohenburg and Löwenstein. Visitors can walk up rock-cut stairways, pass through a restored inner gatehouse, and see remains of a water supply system carved straight into the sandstone.

Written from Wegelnburg

What to know

The ruin stands in the forest and can only be reached on foot, via an access track or a narrow path from the northwest.
The rocky ground and stone-cut stairways call for sturdy footwear and some care when walking.
As an open-air ruin, the site can be visited freely, with no opening hours or admission fee.
Its remote forest location, away from major roads, means a longer approach walk than at many other castles in the area.

Practical information

Prices

Adult: Free

Visit duration: Not verified
Wheelchair access: Not verified
Dogs: Not verified
Parking: Château de Fleckenstein car park at the end of the D 525

Where this château is

Schönau (Pfalz) · Landkreis Südwestpfalz · Rheinland-Pfalz

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

66996 Schönau (Pfalz)

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

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Château phone number

+49 6394 284

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Heritage status: Kulturdenkmal in Deutschland

In pictures

Frequently asked

Wegelnburg: how much is admission?: Admission is free.
Where is the Wegelnburg located?: It stands at Schönau (Pfalz), in the Südwestpfalz district of Rhineland-Palatinate, close to the French border.
Is the Wegelnburg the highest castle ruin in the Palatinate?: Yes, at 570.9 metres it is the highest-situated fortification in the whole region.
Can you go inside the Wegelnburg?: It is an open-air ruin that can be explored freely, with no enclosed building or organised guided tour.
How do you reach the Wegelnburg?: It is reached on foot, either via an access track from the southwest or a narrow path from the northwest.
When was the Wegelnburg destroyed?: French troops destroyed it in 1679 under the terms of the Treaty of Nijmegen, after it had likely already been damaged during the Thirty Years' War.