Feste Rothenberg

Rothenberg Citadel

Useful Information

Location:	Above Schnaittach. A9 Nürnberg Berlin, exit Schnaittach. (49.5548347, 11.3604164)
Open:	APR to NOV Wed-Sun 11-16. Guided tours on the houre. [2026]
Fee:	Adults EUR 6, Children (5-13) EUR 4, Children (0-4) free. [2026]
Classification:	Casemates
Light:	Electric Light
Dimension:	A=588 m NN.
Guided tours:	D=45 min.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Festung Rothenberg, Heimatverein Schnaittach e.V., Postfach 28, 91220 Schnaittach, Tel: +49-9153-98887. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

600 BC<\/td>	First settlement of the Rothenberg by Celtic tribes of the Hallstatt period<\/td>
1300–1330<\/td>	Dietrich von Wildenstein builds a summit castle on the mountain.
1360	The fortress becomes the property of the Emperor and gains in importance; officials and craftsmen settle outside the castle walls.
1401	The fortress is destroyed.
~1480	Rebuilt under Emperor Otto II.
1703	Fortress demolished.
1729	The present-day fortress is built under Elector Karl Albrecht of Bavaria.
1838	abandoned and left to decay.
1892	Heimat- und Verschönerungsverein (local heritage and beautification society) founded, which maintained the fortress and its surroundings and developed the area for tourism.
1966	fortress managed by the Bavarian Palace Administration.
1997–2008	Renovated with funding from the Freistaat.

Description

The (Rothenberg Fortress) near Schnaittach is spectacularly situated on a hilltop in the Franconian Alb, overlooking the motorway. You can see it from a distance; its ramparts and defences are imposing. But that is not the reason we are featuring it. We are interested in what lies underground, and the fortress has plenty to offer in that regard. The most spectacular feature is the catacombs, a labyrinth of huge tunnels with vaulted ceilings, which were designed primarily to save on building materials. Before the Industrial Revolution, there was no easy way to move large quantities of rock, so it was simpler to erect walls and leave the cavities in between. These vaulted cellars were also used in part as cellars, storerooms, armouries and even for houding soldiers. But in reality, they were completely oversized. As they were not actually underground, the outer walls had windows for light and air, but also loopholes. These passages were part of the defensive works.

The mountain was already inhabited in the Celtic period 2,600 years ago. However, the first castle was not built until 1300 by Dietrich von Wildenstein. He sold it to Emperor Charles IV, who was still King of Bohemia at the time, and converted it into a fortress. In 1401, the fortress was destroyed, and it was not rebuilt until 80 years later under Otto II. During the Thirty Years’ War, the castle was sold to Bavaria, making it an enclave in Franconia, which at that time did not yet belong to Bavaria. In 1703 it was razed, but as early as 1729 the present-day fortress was built under Elector Karl Albrecht of Bavaria. However, when Franconia became part of Bavaria, it lost its importance and was used as a prison and a retirement home for invalids and veterans.

For safety reasons, the fortress can only be visited as part of a guided tour. Visitors are also provided with a helmet. The casemates form an essential part of the tour.