Altenbaumburg

Altenbamberg, Germany, Germany

---

Altenbaumburg is a prominent spur castle ruin crowning a ridge above the village of Altenbamberg in Germany's Alsenz Valley, Rhineland-Palatinate, first documented in 1129 as the ancestral seat of the Raugrafen, descendants of the Emichonen counts who ruled the Nahegau region since 960.

Built around 1140 by Emrich, who founded the Raugrave line, this expansive fortress—one of the Pfalz's largest ruins—strategically overlooked the narrow valley at 130 meters elevation amid ancient settlements with Iron Age roots, losing prominence after the 14th century when the Raugraves shifted power and it passed to the Electoral Palatinate in 1385.

Today, its weathered walls and remnants blend into forested hikes linking to nearby Treuenfels, Schäferplacken, and Rödelstein, drawing history enthusiasts to the North Palatine Uplands' scenic trails.