Burg Waseneck: A Medieval Hilltop Castle Ruin in Germany
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.4
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Germany
- Primary era
- Medieval
- Eras represented
- Medieval, Modern
- Civilizations
- Holy Roman Empire
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Castle
On this page5 sections
History
Burg Waseneck is a medieval hilltop castle ruin in Germany near Oberndorf am Neckar. The Dukes of Teck built it around 1220, and the castle was expanded in 1270. The elevated stronghold formed part of the medieval noble landscape associated with the Teck dynasty in southwestern Germany.
The Teck and Waseneck families
From 1295 to 1363, members of the Maier family of Waseneck served as administrators and castle retainers. In 1363, Duke Friedrich of Teck inherited the castle. It later passed through several different owners.
Transfer to Württemberg and decline
In 1416, Burg Waseneck passed to Count Eberhard IV of Württemberg. The castle declined afterward and was already described as a ruin by 1460. The heavily deteriorated remains became state property of the Kingdom of Württemberg in 1806.
Archaeological exposure and restoration
Between 1968 and 1980, the foundation walls were exposed, restored, and partly rebuilt. These interventions preserved parts of the castle and clarified the surviving extent of its medieval structures.
Remains
Burg Waseneck stands at an elevation of 606 metres above sea level, approximately 1,250 metres west of Altoberndorf, a district of Oberndorf am Neckar. The hilltop ruin preserves substantial sections of the keep, together with parts of the main castle, the palas-shield wall, the inner courtyard, a well, and the castle ditches. The outer ditch now serves as a forest track.
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