Bärenfels Castle

Wehr, Germany

Bärenfels castle, previously known as Steinegg, is located at the entrance to the Wehra valley above Wehr, high up In the Hotzenwald hill. It was built by Vasolt family in 1323-1330. In the 13th century the castle probably passed into the possession of the Barons of Schönau. Later, the ownership passed on to the Markgrafen (earls) von Hachberg They, in turn, let the castle to the Barons of Bärenfels, knights from Basel, after whom the castle is named today. Since the end of the 19th century the Schwarzwaldverein (Black Forest hiking club) has renovated the castle ruins and opened it for visitors. From the top of the tower, which is visible from afar, you can enjoy a great view of the Swiss Jura, the Dinkelberg and the Wiesental.

References:

Comments

Your name



Address

Wehr, Germany
See all sites in Wehr

Details

Founded: 1323-1330
Category: Castles and fortifications in Germany
Historical period: Habsburg Dynasty (Germany)

More Information

www.outdooractive.com

Rating

4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Aneta Basiuk (3 years ago)
Perhaps it is better not to go there without preparation, uphill, then downhill and uphill again. Not everyone can do it. But the ruins are worth it. Unfortunately, they are poorly looked after, they are slowly being destroyed. The lower platform has benches, a trash can and a grill area. Climbing up the stairs, which is quite steep, you will reach the tower. From there, a gorgeous view of both Switzerland and Germany. Parking is not provided anywhere, there are signs, but not often, and at first we went to the wrong place, we had to return. From the village to the ruins about 2 km through the forest.
Thomas Schwörer (3 years ago)
Immer wieder ein lohnendes Ziel zu jeder Jahreszeit. Tolle Aussicht vom Turm.
Raimund Brehl (3 years ago)
Very worth seeing ruin. It is best to park in the hiking car park at the end of Wehr. From here you can get to the ruins on both paths that lead away from here after a walk of just over 2km (of course only uphill). The ruins from the 12./13. Century consists essentially of a tower and some masonry. If you climb the tower you have a sensational view over the Rhine Valley/Wiesental/Wehratal. There is no restaurant in the vicinity, so you should stock up before you start ?
LandWalker (3 years ago)
Beautiful medieval tower. The Alps are visible from the top. At the foot there is a hearth for a fire
Max Moritz (3 years ago)
Very nice hiking trail, very nice view. I didn't find the geocach, but the trip was really worth it.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Beckov Castle

The Beckov castle stands on a steep 50 m tall rock in the village Beckov. The dominance of the rock and impression of invincibility it gaves, challenged our ancestors to make use of these assets. The result is a remarkable harmony between the natural setting and architecture.

The castle first mentioned in 1200 was originally owned by the King and later, at the end of the 13th century it fell in hands of Matúš Èák. Its owners alternated - at the end of the 14th century the family of Stibor of Stiborice bought it.

The next owners, the Bánffys who adapted the Gothic castle to the Renaissance residence, improved its fortifications preventing the Turks from conquering it at the end of the 16th century. When Bánffys died out, the castle was owned by several noble families. It fell in decay after fire in 1729.

The history of the castle is the subject of different legends.