Wonderfully situated in the natural monument Bastei above the Saale valley, the castle ruins of the municipality Rosenthal at the Rennsteig OT Blankenberg rises for the eyes of visitors. Once built as a medieval complex, it was mentioned in documents as early as 1192. At the beginning of modern times, the former fortification was remodeled like a castle. Towering high on a rocky spur, it was dominated by seven massive supporting pillars and separated from the rest of the site by a moat that is still visible today. Until the end of the Second World War, Blankenberg Castle remained almost unchanged. ln the course of the expropriations, the "Old Castle", as it was popularly called, was blown up by the Soviet occupation forces after a history of more than 800 years. For a decade now, with the help of the municipality and the State Archaeological Office, the castle ruins have been uncovered and restored. Thanks to this help, the Blankenberg castle ruins have developed into a tourist gem in the midst of beautiful untouched countryside. Situated on the "Green Belt" and optimally connected to cycling and hiking trails, Blankenberg is a great destination for excursions.