Marquardt II von Grumbach, Vogt of Neustadt Abbey built a 'hunting lodge' on the hill where the Rothenfels castle stands today. Around 1200 the castle was rebuilt and the bergfried made form large bunter blocks on a square plan added. Construction of the new castle wall also started with large blocks but was finished with quarrystone.
In the 16th and early 17th century Rothenfels faced hardships, e.g. during the German Peasants War (1525) when the insurgents occupied and burned the castle. The Thirty Years' War brought another period of destruction: the castle was repeatedly occupied by passing armies and sacked.
Today Rothenfels Castle is associated with the Catholic youth movement 'Quickborn', and serves as a Christian education and conference centre. The castle is also a German Youth Hostel Association (DJH) youth hostel.
The Beckov castle stands on a steep 50 m tall rock in the village Beckov. The dominance of the rock and impression of invincibility it gaves, challenged our ancestors to make use of these assets. The result is a remarkable harmony between the natural setting and architecture.
The castle first mentioned in 1200 was originally owned by the King and later, at the end of the 13th century it fell in hands of Matúš Èák. Its owners alternated - at the end of the 14th century the family of Stibor of Stiborice bought it.
The next owners, the Bánffys who adapted the Gothic castle to the Renaissance residence, improved its fortifications preventing the Turks from conquering it at the end of the 16th century. When Bánffys died out, the castle was owned by several noble families. It fell in decay after fire in 1729.
The history of the castle is the subject of different legends.