Plassenburg is a
castle in the city of
Kulmbach in
Bavaria. It is one of the most impressive castles in Germany and a symbol of the city. It was first mentioned in 1135. The Plassenberg family were
ministerial of the counts of Andechs (later the dukes of
Andechs-Meranien) and used as their seat the Plassenburg. The
House of Guttenberg, a prominent Franconian noble family, traces its origins back to 1149 with a Gundeloh v. Blassenberg (Plassenberg). The name Guttenberg is derived from
Guttenberg and was adopted by a Heinrich von Blassenberg around 1310. From 1340, the
Hohenzollerns governed from Plassenburg castle their territories in
Franconia till 1604. The Plassenburg was fortress and residence for the Hohenzollerns.