Annweiler Castle Hike

On three forested hilltops near Annweiler in the Palatinate Forest lie Trifels castle, the Scharfenberg ruin, and the Anebos ruin. Trifels is not only the most important castle of this trio but of the entire Palatinate Forest. As an imperial fortress, the castle, first mentioned in writing in 1081, was the center of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and housed the magnificent imperial regalia. Today, replicas of the imperial treasures can be seen within its walls. The most famous prisoner of the castle, which also served as a state prison, was the English King Richard the Lionheart. The castle Scharfenberg formerly housed the mint of Annweiler, which is why it also carries the nickname "Castle Mint." Its square tower is visible from afar but cannot be climbed. From Anebos castle, not much remains except the mighty sandstone rock to which it was attached. Today, the rock is a paradise for climbers.