The Upper Castle sits on a rocky bluff above the old town, the original seat of the princes of Reuss Elder Line. The earliest surviving parts go back to the 12th century, with Renaissance and Baroque additions layered on top. The interiors — restored in the 1990s after decades of GDR neglect — include the prince's apartments and a museum of town and dynasty history.
The walk up from the market square takes ten minutes. From the courtyard there is a sweeping view over the lower town, the White Elster valley and the surrounding wooded hills.