Vogtei-Tower

The Vogteiturm stands in Loßburg, a spa resort in the northern Black Forest. It rises beside the Kinzig, a river that begins on the same Gemarkung and flows 93 kilometres to the Rhine. The tower belongs to the former water castle built by the Geroldseckers in the 13th century, when they diverted the Kinzig to create a moat. The site is worth the journey because it preserves the only visible remnant of the medieval fortress. A dendrochronological study of an oak beam dated the castle’s construction between 1252 and 1273. The name Loßburg itself comes from the old word losi, meaning a drainage ditch, reflecting the role of the diverted Kinzig. Visitors find the stone tower standing in a quiet corner of the modern village. The surrounding area includes meadows and woodlands that belong to the Black Forest Nature Park. A short path leads from the main street to the base of the tower, where information boards explain its history.