Franconian Switzerland is an upland in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany and a popular tourist retreat. Located between the River Pegnitz in the east and the south, the River Regnitz in the west and the River Main in the north, its relief, which reaches 600 metres in height, forms the northern part of the Franconian Jura (Frankenjura). Like several other mountainous landscapes in the German-speaking lands, e.g. Holstein Switzerland, Märkische Schweiz, or Pommersche Schweiz, Franconian Switzerland was given its name by Romantic artists and poets in the 19th century who compared the landscape to Switzerland. Franconian Switzerland is famous for its high density of traditional breweries.
Wichsenstein Castle was a hill castle, once owned by noblemen, on a steep and prominent rock reef (Felsriff) outcrop above the church village of Wichsenstein in the Upper Franconian county of Forchheim in Bavaria, Germany. The castle has been completely demolished and there are no visible remains. The castle rock is now just used as a viewing point.
Gößweinstein Castle, also called Schloss Gößweinstein, is a mediaeval hilltop castle in Gößweinstein in the county of Forchheim in the German state of Bavaria. It towers high above the market town and the River Wiesent and may have been the inspiration for Richard Wagner's grail castle in his opera, Parsifal. The castle is a Bavarian listed building, no. D-4-74-129-10.
Kohlstein Castle is situated on a rocky hillock in the village of Kohlstein northwest of Tüchersfeld and is the most recently built castle in Franconian Switzerland. It is also one of the smallest and most romantic castles. Today it is in private ownership and may not be visited.
The ruins of Upper Tüchersfeld Castle are all that remains of a high medieval castle that once rose high above the valley of the Püttlach in the church village of Tüchersfeld in Germany's Franconian Switzerland. It was built on a spur of the Mittelberg and was one of two castles in the village, the other being the Lower Tüchersfeld Castle.
Neideck Castle is a former high mediaeval nobleman's castle above the village of Streitberg, in the municipality of Wiesenttal in the Upper Franconian county of Forchheim in the German state of Bavaria. As a result of its exposed location above the valley of the Wiesent, it has become a symbol of Franconian Switzerland.
Leienfels Castle was a late mediaeval aristocratic castle, immediately northwest of the eponymous village of Leienfels in the region of Franconian Switzerland in Germany. The village belongs to the borough of Pottenstein in the Upper Franconian county of Bayreuth in Bavaria.
The ruins of Bärnfels Castle are the remains of a late mediaeval aristocratic castle on the southern edge of the village of Bärnfels in the municipality of Obertrubach in the Upper Franconian county of Forchheim in Bavaria. The ruins of the spur castle are freely accessible.
Waischenfeld Castle is a ruined rock castle on a rocky plateau a few metres west of the town of Waischenfeld in the province of Upper Franconia in the German state of Bavaria.
Schlüsselberg Castle was a high medieval, aristocratic castle in the Franconian region of Germany. Its ruins lie on a hill above the Pulvermühle, a southern town quarter of Waischenfeld in the Upper Franconian county of Bayreuth in Bavaria.
Rabenstein Castle is a former high medieval aristocratic castle in the municipality of Ahorntal in the Upper Franconian county of Bayreuth in the German state of Bavaria.
The ruins of Wolfsberg Castle are the remains of a former high mediaeval, aristocratic, castle which stands high above the Trubach valley over the eponymous village of Wolfsberg. The village is part of the municipality of Obertrubach in the Upper Franconian county of Forchheim in the German state of Bavaria.
Egloffstein Castle is a former high mediaeval, aristocratic castle, that stands immediately west of the eponymous village of Egloffstein in the Upper Franconian county of Forchheim in the German state of Bavaria.
The ruins of Thüngfelderstein Castle, also called Eberhardstein Castle, are the burgstall of a demolished hill castle on a block of rock near Morschreuth in the south German state of Bavaria. The site lies within the market municipality of Gößweinstein in the county of Forchheim.
Thuisbrunn Castle is located centrally within the parish of Thuisbrunn in the municipality of Gräfenberg in the Bavarian province of Upper Franconia. After having been destroyed and rebuilt several times, the castle is now in private ownership.
The burgstall or site of Bieberbach Castle is a ruined mediaeval spur castle at a elevation of 530 m above sea level (NN) on a rock formation in the southern part of the parish of Bieberbach, in the market municipality of Egloffstein in the county of Forchheim in the German state of Bavaria.
The burgstall of Wolkenstein Castle is the site of a late medieval aristocratic castle in the village of Wolkenstein, in the borough of Ebermannstadt in the county of Forchheim in the German state of Bavaria. The burgstall is in private hands and may not be visited.
The burgstall of Dörnhof Castle is the site of a demolished, medieval lowland castle situated at a height of 400 m above sea level (NHN) in the vicinity of Dörnhof Farm near the village of Dörnhof, part of Gräfenberg in the county of Forchheim in the German state of Bavaria.
Gaillenreuth Castle is situated high above the Wiesent river on its upper western perimeter in the village of Burggaillenreuth. The village belongs to the borough of Ebermannstadt in the county of Forchheim in the south German state of Bavaria. All that survives is the southern part of the hill castle. As well as parts of the outer ward there is a tower house from the post-1632 period.
Unterleinleiter Castle is a, now levelled, medieval lowland castle near the village of Unterleinleiter in the county of Forchheim in the south German state of Bavaria.
