Partially restored/hotel, restaurant
	1180
	Count Dieter I

1. Drawbridge 2. Gate tower 3. Outer bailey 4. Granary 5. Gate 6. Cattle stable 7. Residence of Cellarer 8. Inner bailey 9. Mägdeturm (Girl's Tower) 10. Inner gate 11. Horse stables 12. Garden 13. Dung disposal 14. Great Prisoner's Tower 15. Cellarer's Garden 16. West tower 17. Royal Dwellings 18. Fore-courtyard 19. Chapel 20. Great Hall 21. Inner courtyard 22. Bastion 23. Outer bailey 24. Cow stables & cheese dairy 25. Flanking tower 26. Shield wall 27. Moat

Hohenstein Castle: Here is an example of some of the techniques and processes employed by many castle builders of the Middle Ages. The castle was located on a rock promintory, the rock area between it and the remainder of the land mass was cut away to create a throat ditch to make access more difficult, and the resulting stone used to build the defensive elements of the castle. It was built around 1180 for the defense of the property of Count Dieter I and, according to writings, was placed for management in the hands of the Counts of Katzenelnbogen. This family developed a long and notable history and vast holdings in Germany, including at one time the Marksburg castle at Braubach on the Rhine. An interesting difference in this castle is the existance of two towers used for the detention of prisoners. One was a seperate tower for female prisoners. Like most castles Hohenstein went through its bad times and times of rebuilding and improved fortification techniques. Under the Katzenelnbogen family the castle was just one of 11 castles, 225 villages and 9 towns controlled by them.The castle was destroyed in the Thirty Years War in the early 17th century. It was continually ravaged by pillagers and in 1639 was again attacked, this time by the Bavarians. It has been in ruins since.