Burgruine Waldeck

Lorch, Hesse, Germany

---

Burgruine Waldeck near Lorch, Hesse, Germany, is one of the earliest castles on the Middle Rhine, built before or around the 1140s as a noble foundation linked to the Counts of Calw. The castle served as a fortified residence and strategic stronghold overseeing the surrounding valleys.

Throughout its history, it underwent destruction and rebuilding, notably being partially destroyed in 1689 during the Nine Years' War by French forces. Ownership passed through influential noble families including the Boos von Waldeck, who held it for centuries and enhanced its defenses and administrative functions. The castle functioned as a center of local power and governance until the Boos von Waldeck family sold their holdings in 1833, after which the castle gradually fell into ruin.

Today, the remains of stone walls and fortifications stand on a rocky spur, preserving its place as an important medieval heritage site in the Rhine region.