Burg Alt-Urach: A Medieval Castle Ruin in Germany
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 3.9
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Germany
- Primary era
- Medieval
- External website
- Open
- Eras represented
- Medieval
- Civilizations
- Holy Roman Empire
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Castle
On this page5 sections
History
Burg Alt-Urach is a ruined medieval castle in Lenzkirch, Germany, built by the Lords of Urach between 1225 and 1239 during the thirteenth century. The Lords of Urach belonged to a ministerial lineage, a family of lesser nobles serving the higher-ranking Counts of Urach. The castle later became the center of the Lordship of Lenzkirch.
Medieval Origins and Lordship
The castle was first mentioned in 1316 under the name burg ze Úra. During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, it belonged to the Lords of Blumegg and continued to serve as the administrative center of the Lordship of Lenzkirch.
In 1491, Burg Alt-Urach was sold to the Counts of Fürstenberg, a major noble dynasty whose territories included parts of Swabia and southwestern Germany. By that time, the castle was already described as a Burgstall, meaning a ruined castle no longer suitable for habitation.
Municipal Ownership and Conservation
Since 1972, Burg Alt-Urach has been owned by the municipality of Lenzkirch and cared for by the local branch of the Black Forest Association. The surviving masonry was conserved in 1995 and 1996.
Remains
Castle Layout
The ruin occupies a mountain spur above the Haslach valley in the Black Forest. The original castle consisted of a square residential tower enclosed by a surrounding curtain wall, a defensive wall forming the outer boundary of the complex. A house extension was added around 1404, enlarging the medieval castle. The surviving structure remains in ruined condition, with its masonry repaired during the conservation work of 1995 and 1996.
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