Falkenstein Castle (Harz)

Falkenstein Castle
Burg Falkenstein
Falkenstein, Saxony-Anhalt
Falkenstein Castle
Falkenstein Castle
Coordinates	51°40′54″N 11°15′54″E / 51.68167°N 11.26500°E / 51.68167; 11.26500Coordinates: 51°40′54″N 11°15′54″E / 51.68167°N 11.26500°E / 51.68167; 11.26500
Type	Hilltop castle
Site information
Condition	Preserved or largely preserved
Site history
Built	1120 to 1150

Falkenstein Castle (German: Burg Falkenstein), also formerly called New Falkenstein Castle (Burg Neuer Falkenstein) to distinguish it from Old Falkenstein Castle, is a German hill castle in the Harz Mittelgebirge, dating to the High Middle Ages. It is located in the town of Falkenstein between Aschersleben and Harzgerode.

The castle lies at a height of about 320 m (1,050 ft) above the Selke valley near the village of Meisdorf in the Harz district, in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is located within extended forests, today a protected area (Naturschutzgebiet). Also nearby are the ruined medieval castles of Ackeburg and Old Falkenstein Castle.

Falkenstein was built between 1120 and 1150 by the lords of the Konradsburg who henceforth styled themselves as Grafen von Falkenstein (Counts).

According to legend, Falkenstein Castle has its origins in a murder: around 1080, the Saxon nobleman Egeno II of Konradsburg slew Count Adalbert II of Ballenstedt in a fight, whereupon the murderer was allegedly made to give up his family seat to be converted into a monastery. As a result, Egeno's son, Burchard of Konradsburg, had the new Falkenstein Castle built.