Top 19 Castles around Neukirchen-Balbini

Wetterfeld Castle Ruins As early as 1118, Gottfried von Wetterfeld appears as an influential ministerialis (unfree knight) of the Diepoldings, the powerful Margraves of Cham and Vohburg. He seems to have maintained good relations with many monasteries, especially Reichenbach Abbey—no wonder, since Abbot Reginboto was his brother. Numerous donations to various monasteries by Gottfried are documented, a widespread practice among knights to secure their salvation. In a donation from 1155, Heinrich is even mentioned as an imperial ministerialis, which demonstrates the family's rapid political rise. In 1179, Karl and Heinrich "de Weterinfeld" appear, after which the family disappears from the historical record. It is not until 1268 that we hear of a Deinhardus, who is now subject to the Bavarian dukes; perhaps they lost their independence with the inheritance of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. From 1283 onward, the Wittelsbachs sent judges to Wetterfeld. Ducal ministeriales from the surrounding area succeeded in office: Hauzendorfer, Katzdorfer, Zenger, and others. In 1322, it was pledged to the Chamerau family. In 1329, Wetterfeld came under the control of the Palatine line of the Wittelsbachs, who also appointed judges. In 1410, it passed to the sub-principality of Neumarkt-Neunburg, with the Degenberger, Nothaft, and Zenger families, among others, serving as administrators. During the Hussite raids of 1428 and 1433, the castle was destroyed and subsequently rebuilt. A unique feature of Wetterfeld is the four "castle guards"—four legally independent building complexes within the castle, which were granted separately—making the ownership situation quite complex. In 1621, during the Thirty Years' War, the Upper Palatinate, including Wetterfeld, came under the rule of Duke Maximilian of Bavaria. Later in the war, Wetterfeld was destroyed twice by the Swedes and subsequently rebuilt. But the castle and its buildings continued to deteriorate, and the administrators increasingly relocated their offices outside the castle. In 1812, the administrative office was moved to Roding, the castle grounds were subdivided, and private houses were built over. Wetterfeld is a moated castle—a branch of the Regen River bordered the complex to the northeast. The still clearly visible, deep, walled moat could be filled with sluice gates in case of attack. Essentially, only the large gate tower, built of rubble stone with corner quoins, remains. Its upper, habitable floors make it a variation of the late medieval residential tower. Source: www.burgenseite.de

Worthwhile old town with many sights. Beautiful city park for strolling and relaxing.

Thanstein Castle Ruins Uto von Thanstein, a ministerial of the Count of Sulzbach, is mentioned for the first time in a document in 1218, and the Murachers are also named as co-owners. The last representative of the Thansteiners, Alto, becomes abbot of the St. Emmeram monastery in Regensburg in 1358. In Thanstein, a branch of the Zenger family takes over rule from 1353 onwards, and calls itself von Thanstein from then on. In 1390, Thanstein is captured by the Leuchtenbergers during a feud, but not destroyed. In 1425, it survives a looting by the Hussites. In 1530, the Saxon knight Georg von Ebenleben marries the last Zenger, Margarethe. When he takes over rule, he also orders the introduction of the Protestant faith in Thanstein. In the Thirty Years' War, his descendants were expropriated by Elector Maximilian of Bavaria because they fought on the side of the Swedes, but in the Peace of Westphalia it was agreed that the property would be returned. After that, the owners changed hands constantly. The castle burned down almost completely in 1811, but the rule did not end until 1848. The keep was restored in 1887. Extensive security measures and excavations have been carried out since 2011. The core of the complex is a rectangular fort on a granite hilltop, which is relatively rare in the Upper Palatinate. After the latest renovation work, the history of the complex had to be rewritten and the floor plan redrawn. Parts of the walls and the foundation of the keep were dated to around 1200 - in line with the first mention of the castle nobility. Uto was therefore not, as is often said, lord of the nearby Altenthanstein castle near Dautersdorf, but was already at home in what is now Thanstein. The entrance area is dominated by the round keep made of ashlars and rubble stones, which is still 17 m high today. It was added to the complex later and dates from around 1300. The tower has a wall thickness of 2.5 m and an entrance at a height of 5 m. The floors were once separated by wooden ceilings, and the wall recedes slightly at each step. A deep moat, spanned by a stone bridge, separates the inner castle from the large outer castle area. The entrance is a gate system that provides access to the moat, which also forms the driveway to the outer castle. At the top, houses and utility buildings are grouped around a square, some of which incorporate older wall remains. Source: Excerpts from www.burgenseite.de

There is also a beautiful path underneath the castle

Beautiful old town

Informative path through the moat with information boards on loopholes, etc., which leads to the cycle path to Pösing. An idyllic rest area! Information with old photos of Wetterfeld can also be found at the covered bike rest area at the roundabout.

A beautiful and well-preserved ruin. Signs on the walls indicate its former function. From the palace there is a beautiful view of the complex and the surrounding area.

There isn't much left...