Top 20 Natural Monuments around Oberickelsheim

Beautiful castle ruin 🤩

The barrier to the ruins has been partially removed and is now accessible again. As of September 14, 2025. 😉

The Hinterfrankenberg castle ruins are a fascinating destination for anyone who wants to combine history and nature. The remains of the former castle are idyllically situated on a hill and offer a great view of the surrounding landscape. Although only ruins remain of the castle, you can feel the breath of times gone by here. The old walls, some of which have been reclaimed by nature, are particularly impressive. Sturdy shoes are recommended as the paths to the ruins can be uneven in places. A visit is particularly worthwhile for history buffs and hikers looking for a quiet place to linger. Don't forget to bring your binoculars - the view is worth it!

Kunigunde's linden tree "Thousand-year-old" Kunigunde's linden tree ♁⊙ on the west side of the churchyard Right next to the chapel stands the "Thousand-year-old" Kunigunde's linden tree, also named after the saint. According to the legend of the church's founding, it is the same tree in which Kunigunde's veil got caught and the little church was built under her. Since the historical Kunigunde died in 1033, this would confirm the linden tree's age of over 1000 years. The actual age of the tree is highly controversial, however, and very different information can be found in the literature. A dendrological determination of the age of the striking tree is not possible, since its trunk is completely hollow and the core of the trunk is missing. It is often assumed that the linden tree was planted at the same time as the chapel was built, which would make it at least 800 years old. The linden tree itself is a summer linden and a protected natural monument. Over the centuries of its life, its trunk has split into four parts and is completely hollow inside. The remaining remnants of the trunk shell are supported by massive iron rods. To prevent it from breaking apart under the weight of its own crown, a radical pruning is carried out approximately every 25 years - the Kunigundenlinde has been completely decapitated several times in recent decades during renovation work. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunigundenkapelle_(Burgerroth)

After her canonization in 1200, Saint Kunigunde became one of the most popular saints, especially in Franconia. According to legend, the construction of the chapel in Burgerroth can be traced back to her. She had vowed to build three churches and wanted to leave the choice of building sites to divine providence. She let three veils fly from Bamberg Castle: wherever they were found, a church was to be built. One of the veils was carried by the wind to the Old Mountain, where it got caught in a linden tree that still stands there today. The little church was to serve as a parish church for both Burgerroth and the neighboring town of Buch, but the people of Buch felt that the location was too far away. They took the building materials to Buch on their own initiative, but the next day everything was back in its intended place. One carpenter is said to have even laid down on the stones in the evening and woke up on the stones on the Old Mountain the next morning. The people of Buch gave up their resistance and the chapel was built here. Kunigundenstein The saint is said to have prayed at a spot 150 m southeast of the chapel in the direction of Gollach and left her hand, knee and footprints there. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunigundenkapelle_(Burgerroth)

The Kunigunde Chapel, which is dedicated to Kunigunde of Luxembourg, who was particularly revered in the region, was built around 1230 during the heyday of the Staufers. The probable builders are Heinrich von Hohenlohe and his son Konrad von Hohenlohe, who resided in the nearby Brauneck Castle. From 1608 to 1609, extensive repairs and reconstructions were carried out under Prince-Bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn. This reconstruction was intended to consolidate the Counter-Reformation. A stone tablet from 1614 indicates this renovation. In the middle of the 18th century, during the Baroque period, the walls and ceiling were decorated with stucco. In 1762, the current main altar with a depiction of the Holy Family was donated by Thomas Klee from Buch. A final renovation took place around 1900. Regular services, however, only took place on Kunigunde Day (March 3) and on the third day of supplication. After the cemetery had not been used since 1945, the Kunigunden Chapel lost its importance. Excavations were carried out in the chapel from 1961 to 1962 and the subsequent thorough renovation restored it to its current state. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunigundenkapelle_(Burgerroth)

The Kunigunden Chapel near the Auber district of Burgerroth is considered an important late Romanesque building. It was a pilgrimage church and place of worship for the villages of Buch, Burgerroth, Niedersteinach and Brauneck Castle. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunigundenkapelle_(Burgerroth)

Hinterfrankenberg Castle Ruins is an interesting place