The town of Saalburg is a part of the town of Saalburg-Ebersdorf and is located in Thuringia, directly at the Bleilochstausee. Saalburg was first mentioned in writing in 1222. The town of Saalburg has a name that symbolizes both the geographical natural area and the castle founded in the Middle Ages. In the first half of the 13th century, the Lords of Lobdeburg built the castle to control the Saale crossing on the long-distance Nuremberg-Leipzig trade route. The keep (watchtower) collapsed on 20.06.1913. A remaining stump and the foundation walls of the old castle, still visible from the lake, are the last witnesses. The oldest preserved building in the town is the church of St. Mary (founded before 1223). The town hall with its foundations dates back to the Middle Ages. Behind the interesting and beautiful facade of today's Hotel Kranich is the only customs and official house in the town of Saalburg. Right next to it you can see the last preserved town gate, which is connected to the old remains of the town fortification. In the Middle Ages, the trade route from Nuremberg to Leipzig passed through this gate. From 1926 to 1932 the dam was built - Saalburg thus became a town on the lake (sea) and today it is a popular place for vacations and excursions.