1843 to 1965 and which is now in private hands in Hiltpoltstein. The castle is historic monument no. D-4-74-138-6 in the Bavarian list of Monuments, the pfleger castle is D-4-74-138-3. The centre of the village of Hiltpoltstein is protected as "historic ensemble" (Denkmalensemble) E-4-74-138-1, the whole castle area with its underground structures is area monument (Bodendenkmal) D-4-6333-0217. In the 1960s, the Free State of Bavaria was interested in divesting itself of the castle as state property for reasons of cost. In 1966 it was sold for DM 81,500 to Nuremberg businessman, Josef Weber. He carried out extensive renovation that lasted until 1972, such as the uncovering and reinforcement of the foundations of bergfried, the restorations of the large hall and the cabinet in the east wing and the chapel in the south wing. He also cleared the cellars of metre-thick rubble. Since the 1970s the castle and pfleger mansion has changed hands several times without major changes to its structural condition. Following the bankruptcy of the owner in 2006 the castle was managed by the receiver. The Society for the Preservation of Hiltpoltstein Castle (Förderverein zum Erhalt der Burg Hiltpoltstein e. V.) operated monthly guided tours between 2010 and 2013. In the upper floor of the pfleger mansion the society runs a café and organises exhibitions of local artists. In 2013 the castle and pflegschloss were sold to a private owner again for €400,000. Since then, there has been no public access. In 2013 and 2014 the castle was only open on the Tag des offenen Denkmals. In November 2016 a further sale was announced to a new private owner who intended to use it as a holiday home. References Literature Volker Alberti: Burg Hiltpoltstein: Wahrzeichen der südlichen Fränkischen Schweiz. Puk Print, Hiltpoltstein, 2009, . Toni Eckert, Susanne Fischer, Renate Freitag, Rainer Hofmann, Walter Tausendpfund: Die Burgen der Fränkischen Schweiz: Ein Kulturführer. Gebietsausschuss Fränkische Schweiz, Forchheim o. J., , pp. 68–70. Ruth Bach-Damaskinos, Peter Borowitz: Schlösser und Burgen in Oberfranken – Eine vollständige Darstellung aller Schlösser, Herrensitze, Burgen und Ruinen in den oberfränkischen kreisfreien Städten und Landkreisen. Verlag A. Hofmann, Nuremberg, 1996, , p. 154. Robert Giersch, Andreas Schlunk, Berthold von Haller: Burgen und Herrensitze in der Nürnberger Landschaft - Ein historisches Handbuch nach Vorarbeiten von Dr. Gustav Voit. Selbstverlag der Altnürnberger Landschaft e. V., Lauf an der Pegnitz, 2006, , pp. 195–198. Wolfgang Hühnermann: Amt und Burg Hiltpoltstein. –