Introduction

To date, no trace has been found of Givicantsen Castle, which was first mentioned in a document in 961. We do not know its precise location or what it looked like.

The upper fortress of Giebichenstein, whose construction was begun in the second half of the 12th century, is only a ruin today. It fell victim to the Thirty Year’s War (1618–1648). By studying the carefully excavated foundation walls and by comparing it with similar structures, it was possible to reconstruct the likely appearance of the former castle. A computer simulation makes the almost completely disappeared castle once again visible. These reconstructions show how the upper fortress looked during the 12th century.

The complex was reconstructed and altered many times. The tower, still in existence today, dates back to the 14th century.