Burg Hörnekapf

The Abschnittsbefestigung Hörnekapf is an ancient hilltop fortification near Geisingen in Baden-Württemberg. It stands on the Hörnekapf hill at about 902 metres above sea level, three kilometres north-west of the town. The site covers a total area of 7.74 hectares, with an inner enclosure of 1.14 hectares. Only small remains of the original walls survive today. Archaeologists recognise it as a prehistoric defensive structure, typical of the region’s early Iron Age settlements. The fortification is worth studying because it shows how people organised defence and settlement long ago. Researchers like Hans-Wilhelm Heine and Michael Losse have examined similar sites in south-west Germany. Their work helps explain how these walls were built and used. The Hörnekapf site also belongs to a wider group of hilltop enclosures between the Danube and Lake Constance. Experts have mapped many such places to understand ancient land use. Visitors find a quiet hilltop with low grassy banks marking the old walls. The site offers wide views over the surrounding countryside. A short walk from Geisingen leads to the Hörnekapf, where the earthworks are still visible. The area is peaceful, with few modern distractions. It is a place to imagine life in the Iron Age and to see how the land was shaped for defence centuries ago.