Ammon News - Parts of a 12th-century castle were damaged in a fire in the central German state of Thuringia, police said early on Thursday.

Firefighters were able to prevent the blaze from spreading to other parts of Runneburg Castle in the town of Weissensee, a police spokesman said. The fire broke out late on Wednesday in a corner building of the fortified complex, directly next to a tall watchtower.

According to initial findings, no one was injured. The site was cordoned off, the spokesman said, and investigations into the cause of the fire were due to begin later on Thursday.

The extent of the damage to the castle was initially unclear, and the cause of the fire remained unknown.

The castle, built around 1170, is considered one of the most important examples of Romanesque architecture in Germany, according to the Thuringian Palaces and Gardens Foundation, which says the site preserves a rare amount of original building fabric from the High Middle Ages.

DPA