Neuerburg (Wied) Niederbreitbach

Niederbreitbach, Germany, Germany

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Neuerburg (Wied) near Niederbreitbach in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, is a ruined 12th-century hilltop castle built around 1170 by Ludwig II of Thuringia as a prototype Staufer fortress overlooking the Wied Valley.

First documented in 1132 and serving as an administrative center for the Archbishopric of Cologne, it changed hands among noble families before fortifications were expanded in the 16th century and blown up by French troops in 1692 during the Wars of Reunion.

Owned by the Princes of Wied and privately leased for restoration, surviving elements include a pentagonal residential tower, ring wall, and outer bailey amid ongoing efforts to prevent further decay.