Burg Lichteneck

Burg Lichteneck stands above Hecklingen, a village on the edge of Kenzingen in the Emmendingen district. It is a spur castle built on a narrow rock outcrop that rises 242 metres above sea level. The site commands views over the surrounding vineyards and farmland of the Upper Rhine plain. The name first appears in records in 1290 as ‘Liehtenekke’. The counts of Freiburg began the fortress between 1265 and 1272 to control the local valley routes. By the early 14th century the castle had passed to their descendants and become the centre of a small lordship. The ruins recall a turbulent past. In 1338 Konrad of Freiburg quarrelled with Walter of Endingen over rights attached to Lichteneck. The castle was rebuilt in the 16th century after damage in the Geroldsecker War of 1433. French troops under the Marquis de Vaubrun burned it beyond repair on 15 April 1675 during the Dutch War. Today only parts of the enclosing wall and the inner stronghold remain standing. The Flemming family own the site and allow private events to be held among the remnants. Visitors walk along the surviving sections of the curtain wall, which is two to three metres thick. The core castle area shows broken towers and foundations set on the rocky crest. From the platform there are wide views over the Kaiserstuhl hills and the Black Forest foothills. The quiet surroundings still echo the medieval disputes over land and power. The ruin offers a clear picture of how such a fortress once guarded the region.