Turmhügel Wollbach

The Turmhügel Wollbach is a ruined watchtower in northern Bavaria. It sits on a small mound called Ochsenbühl, about 2.3 kilometres west-north-west of Wollbach church in the Rhön-Grabfeld district. The site overlooks what was once a lake, now drained, in the Schweinberg area. The tower was built between the 11th and 13th centuries to protect Würzburg’s woodland interests. A Würzburg ministerial family held the post of forest guardian here, overseeing the duke’s hunting forest. The surviving earthworks still rise about five metres above the surrounding ground. The circular base measures thirty metres across. On its western and northern sides a four-metre-wide ledge, or berme, was added to strengthen the slope. Archaeologists recognise this as the remains of a motte-and-bailey fortification typical of the early Middle Ages. Written records from the 13th century confirm the tower’s existence and its guardian’s duties. Visitors reach the site along quiet farm tracks that cross open fields. The mound is covered with grass and a few young trees, giving a clear view of its shape. From the top, the flat Schweinberg plateau stretches away to the east. The site is peaceful, with only the sound of wind and distant farm machinery. No buildings remain, but the earthworks speak of the tower that once stood here.