Festung Rosenberg, Kronach

Rosenberg Fortress is a hilltop castle surrounded by a Baroque fortification above the Upper Franconian town of Kronach. It is one of the best preserved fortresses in Bavaria and has never been taken by force in its long history, whose verifiable origins date back to the 13th century. Along with Forchheim Fortress, it was one of the two provincial fortresses of the Prince-Bishops of Bamberg, who over the centuries developed Rosenberg from a medieval protective castle into a Renaissance chateau and later into a modern fortress complex. With its numerous construction phases, the complex is considered an outstanding example of the development of fortified construction in Germany. Including moats and outer works, the built-up area covers about 8.5 ha; together with the former earthworks in the northern apron, the fortified terrain once covered 23.6 ha.