Ruine Hohentann

The ruin of Hohentann stands on a hilltop at 630 metres above sea level where the church of Alttann now rises. Built in the late twelfth century, it began as the stronghold of the Tann family, later known as the Waldburg cup-bearers and Winterstetten cup-givers. By 1243 the castle had passed to the lords of Schmalegg, whose household took their name from the place. At the close of the thirteenth century the fortress was levelled and never rebuilt. Historians point to the site as an early example of the welfisch-staufische ministerial class shaping power in Swabia. The Tann line split into branches that spread across the region, leaving written traces in charters and chronicles. Excavations in the twentieth century confirmed the stone foundations beneath the later church floor. Visitors find only low walls and a sense of height where the keep once stood. The church of Alttann occupies the centre, its graveyard covering what remains of the great hall. From the hilltop there are wide views over the rolling countryside towards the Alps. The lane that climbs to the hamlet is quiet, lined with farm buildings that echo the medieval past.