Burg Falkenstein

Falkenstein, Germany, Germany

---

Burg Falkenstein is a well-preserved medieval hill castle in Falkenstein, Harz Mountains, Germany, built between 1120 and 1150 by the Lords of Konradsburg after a legendary murder prompted them to abandon their prior seat for this strategic spur above the Selke Valley.

Famous for hosting the drafting of the Sachsenspiegel around 1220—the first comprehensive German law book commissioned by Count Hoyer von Falkenstein from Eike von Repgow—it passed to the Asseburg family in 1437, who expanded it with a south wing, great hall, chapel, and defenses including seven gates, five zwingers, and a 17-meter shield wall plus 31-meter bergfried tower.

Retained until post-WWII confiscation, its Romanesque core endures amid later modifications, offering guided tours, panoramic views, and a taste of High Medieval might in the Harz.