Friedberg Castle Ruins: A Medieval Fortress in Meilen, Switzerland

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Country: Switzerland

Civilization: Unclassified

Remains: Military

History

Friedberg, a medieval castle ruin, is situated above the municipality of Meilen in Switzerland. This fortress was constructed by people of the medieval European civilization around the year 1200, as indicated by archaeological discoveries at the site.

During the 13th century, the territory along the right shore of Lake Zurich belonged to the noble Regensberg family. In 1306, Lütold VII von Regensberg explicitly referred to the site as “our castle,” confirming Friedberg’s status under their control. Later in the early 14th century, the castle changed hands, likely due to financial considerations, when it was sold to Götz Mülner, a wealthy knight from Zurich. Upon acquiring it, Mülner adopted the title Mülner von Friedberg in 1321, signifying his connection to the estate.

Under the ownership of the Mülner family, archaeological evidence suggests that Friedberg saw expansion during the early 1300s. However, this period of improvement was followed by their departure from Meilen, accompanied by the sale of judicial and administrative rights tied to the castle, known as vogtship rights.

By approximately 1390, the property was purchased by Jakob Bletscher, a citizen of Zurich. It remains uncertain whether he took up residence at Friedberg. Around this time, signs point to the beginning of the site’s decline, as it entered a phase of gradual neglect and disuse.

From 1593 onward, the castle grounds, along with an adjoining farmstead, became privately owned. The castle itself transitioned from an active dwelling to a historical ruin. Decades later, between 1976 and 1979, systematic archaeological excavations took place, revealing lost structural elements and uncovering notable artifacts that shed light on the castle’s medieval life.

Remains

Friedberg occupies a small plateau carved into a hillside at an elevation of 540 meters above sea level. This plateau measures roughly 50 meters in length and 30 meters across and is positioned on a slope that sharply drops into the Dorfbach ravine to the west and south. The site’s location provided natural defenses, with a small natural ditch isolating the plateau from a nearby hamlet on the eastern side.

One of the castle’s most striking features identified by archaeologists is a northern moat, hewn directly from sandstone. This defensive trench measures about 10 meters wide and 4 meters deep, with steep, near-vertical sides. Layers of sediment within the moat reveal that it was originally filled with water, enhancing the castle’s protective measures. The early 20th century saw the leveling of parts of the site to accommodate farming, which unfortunately led to extensive damage of the moat and many castle walls. Only some fragments of walls overlooking the ravine have been preserved.

Excavations on the lakeside revealed the foundations of a ring wall that once encircled the castle. While the full perimeter of this wall remains undetermined, the uncovered sections hint at a substantial defensive boundary. Within the enclosure, no internal walls have been detected so far.

A remarkable discovery involved the hand-excavated restoration of the castle’s well, known as a sodbrunnen. This deep well reaches 28.64 meters and was previously found filled with debris. Archaeologists rebuilt the stone rim of the well, preserving it in its original location.

The site yielded a rich collection of medieval objects, including fragments of stove tiles and pottery, which reflect everyday domestic activities. Items such as spindle whorls indicate textile work, while metal fittings and arrowheads point to the castle’s functional and defensive aspects. Wooden household utensils and well-preserved leather fragments offer rare insights into the material culture of the inhabitants. Among the most notable finds is a curved wooden horn roughly 60 centimeters long, dating to the early 14th century. This instrument ranks among Switzerland’s oldest known wind instruments, illustrating the cultural life at Friedberg during its height. Alongside the horn, two small copper ladles were uncovered, further contributing to the understanding of life within the castle walls.