Schloss Lichtenberg

Fischbachtal, Germany, Germany

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Schloss Lichtenberg is a striking white Renaissance castle crowning a hilltop at 280 meters above Fischbachtal in the northern Odenwald region of Hesse, Germany, originally built as a 13th-century fortress by the Counts of Katzenelnbogen.

Reconstructed between 1544-1581 as Landgrave Georg I of Hesse-Darmstadt's hunting lodge—the region's first major Renaissance palace with curved gables and regular fenestration—it became a model for local architecture amid abundant forests prized for fresh air and game.

Now state-owned with private residences, it houses a local history museum in the east wing, serves civil weddings in its Kaisersaal, hosts concerts and Advent markets, and offers guided tours showcasing its landmark status over the valley.