Hohenwittlingen ruined castle stands above Wittlingen district of Bad Urach and offers a fabulous view of the Erms valley. You can combine a visit here with a walk to the Wolfschlucht (Wolf Ravine) and the Schillerhöhle cave.
Hohenwittlingen was first documented in 1248 as the property of the Dukes of Urach. In 1251 it came into the possession of the Dukes of Württemberg, for whom it was primarily an important military base. In 1548 the castle offered sanctuary to the reformer Johannes Brenz of Württemberg (1499–1570).
The castle was badly damaged by fire In 1576, after which it was only partially repaired. After the Thirty Years' War the castle became a prison for 'poachers and other wrongdoers'. It then fell into ruin. By the 18th century the abandoned castle was still offering the farmers of Wittlingen protection when enemy troops approached. After this, however, it was abandoned.
The ruins (near the Wittlingen district of Bad Urach) are freely accessible, but only on foot.
References:The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.