Scharfenburg

Scharfenburg is the ruin of an early 12th-century hilltop castle perched on a forested spur of the Thuringian Forest above the Thal district of Ruhla, in the Wartburgkreis. Founded around 1100, it served as a typical medieval fortification in a region shaped by the nearby Wartburg castle. The surviving walls command open views across the valley and surrounding woodland. The site is open April through September until 20:00, and October through March until 16:00, making it a popular half-day hiking destination on the Thuringian Forest trail network.