Burgrest Neuwaldsee: A Medieval Tower-Castle Ruin in Germany
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 3.8
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Germany
- Primary era
- Medieval
- Eras represented
- Medieval
- Civilizations
- Holy Roman Empire
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Castle
On this page4 sections
History
Foundation and Austrian Transfer
Burgrest Neuwaldsee is a small medieval tower-castle ruin near Bad Waldsee in Germany, probably built in the early thirteenth century by the Lords of Wallsee. This noble family held possessions around Waldsee and had connections to the Austrian territories. The castle stood above the Urbachtal and helped secure the family’s territorial rule.
In 1331, the castle was sold to the dukes of Austria under the name Newe Waltse. The dukes were the medieval rulers of the Duchy of Austria, and the sale brought the site into their sphere of authority.
Abandonment and Archaeological Protection
The castle was probably abandoned during the fourteenth century. Earthquake damage may have contributed to its decline, although destruction at a later date is also possible. Archaeological evidence is thought to survive below ground and may clarify how the castle was constructed.
The castle area is listed in Baden-Württemberg’s state monument register as an archaeological ground monument under identification number 106511641. This designation applies to a protected archaeological site whose historical evidence is preserved mainly underground or in surviving structural remains.
Remains
Burgrest Neuwaldsee occupies a hilltop spur at 685 metres above sea level, southeast of Mittelurbach in the city of Bad Waldsee. A hilltop-spur castle was built on a projecting ridge, using the surrounding slopes to strengthen its defensive position. The site stands on the terminal moraine of a glacier from the Würm Ice Age, a ridge of glacial sediment deposited at the glacier’s furthest advance. It lies about 600 metres east of Mittelurbach and approximately 800 metres southwest of Hittisweiler.
The surviving above-ground fabric consists of substantial masonry blocks from the tower castle together with parts of the castle ditch. These remains indicate the site’s compact defensive character, while archaeological deposits beneath the ground may preserve further information about its construction and development.
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