Alt-Landenberg: A Medieval Castle Ruin in Bauma, Switzerland

Visitor Information

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Country: Switzerland

Civilization: Unclassified

Remains: Military

History

Alt-Landenberg ruin stands on a hillside above the Töss river in the municipality of Bauma, Switzerland. This medieval castle was built around the year 1200 by a Germanic civilization during a period of territorial expansion and forest clearing.

The castle’s origins are tied to its name, derived from the Old High German word “Landinberg,” which means “castle of Lando,” suggesting its early association with a figure named Lando or his family. The first recorded occupants remain unknown, but during the early 14th century, the castle was controlled by knights named Rudolf and his son Pantaleon. Both perished in 1315 during the Battle of Morgarten, fighting alongside the Habsburg forces against the Swiss Confederates, marking a significant turning point in the site’s history.

Following the battle, ownership of the castle returned to the Abbey of St. Gallen as a hereditary estate. Over the next centuries, the castle passed through several hands before coming under the administration of the city of Zürich in 1549. From that time, it was leased to various holders. The final documented resident, Hans Rüegg von Altlandenberg, noted in 1651 that the castle had fallen into disrepair and offered some of its stones to be reused in church construction. By then, the fortress had ceased to function as a residence or military post.

Excavations and restoration efforts in the mid-20th century, between 1958 and 1963, revealed important details about the castle’s original structure, providing insight into its layout and historical significance.

Remains

Alt-Landenberg’s remains reveal a castle complex divided into two main sections. The western wing, about 25 meters in length, and a larger, longer eastern part where the residential buildings stood, outline the original extent of the fortress. The castle was surrounded by a ring wall, typical for medieval fortifications aimed at protecting the inner buildings.

Entry to the castle changed over time. Initially, visitors approached from the north, but later the main gate was relocated to the southwest. This newer entrance included a gatehouse, a zwinger—an enclosed courtyard serving as an extra defensive zone—and a drawbridge that led across into a second gate, creating multiple layers of protection. A man-made neck ditch, carved into the uphill side of the hill, further enhanced the castle’s defenses by limiting access on that vulnerable approach. A rock-cut staircase allowed access directly into the castle, a practical feature that integrated natural terrain into its design.

The eastern section held the spacious palas, or main residential hall, which occupied the full length of this area. The palas was secured on the uphill side by a thick shield wall approximately three meters wide, sections of which remain visible today. Inside the palas, the presence of column bases on the first floor indicates the architectural complexity and support structure of the living quarters.

Later modifications included a transverse wall built in the western part of the castle and a well reaching a depth of about 14 meters, known as the Sodbrunnen. The narrow western section of the complex may have functioned as a stair tower, linking different levels. Unlike some castles of its time, no main tower (bergfried) has been identified at the site.

Building materials included tuff stone, a volcanic rock that was commonly used in the region. The well-preserved remains discovered during the 20th-century excavations allow visitors to clearly observe the castle’s ring wall, gatehouse, zwinger, courtyard, palas, and ancillary economic buildings, all reflecting the characteristics of a typical high medieval clearing castle.