Burg Hardeck

Burg Hardeck stands on a steep slope above the Wutach valley, near the village of Mundelfingen in the Black Forest. The site overlooks the Aubachtal to the north and the wide plateau to the west. A narrow ridge once linked the main stronghold to a smaller eastern spur. The oval main castle measures about fifty metres across. A rectangular outer ward, thirty by twenty metres, guards the western approach with a deep ditch and bank. The Hardecker family first appear in 1108 as followers of the Zähringen dukes. Later they helped found Friedenweiler Abbey. The main ring-wall has vanished, leaving only scattered stones and brick fragments. Three low mounds mark where buildings once stood. A clear hollow on the south side suggests a courtyard or cellar. The northern slope drops sharply toward the Aubach stream below. Visitors walk a quiet forest path from Mundelfingen toward the field boundary with Aselfingen. The ground rises quickly to the oval mound, where the outline of the old walls can still be traced. The western outer ward’s rampart and ditch remain clearly visible. On the eastern spur a shallow trench cuts off the ridge. From the northern edge there are wide views down the Aubachtal. The site is peaceful, with only the sound of wind in the trees and the occasional call of birds.