Burg Staufen

The ruins of Staufen Castle stand high on Schlossberg, a 375-metre hill north of the town of Staufen in the Breisgau region. A watchtower from Roman times once occupied the same spot. The present stone castle was begun in the early 12th century by the lords of Staufen, with Adalbert building the main house around 1100. In 1248 the castle appears in a written record for the first time, though the Üsenberg family listed as owners never actually lived there. Money troubles and feuds with nearby Freiburg weakened the Staufen lords in the 14th century, allowing Freiburg to gain influence over the castle. The city of Freiburg bought parts of the castle in 1327 and 1337, securing an opening right that stopped the Staufens from using the fortress against the town. By 1359 half the castle and town had been pawned to Konrad Schnewlin, and in 1370 the counts of Freiburg were recognised as overlords. Around 1400 Staufen passed to Further Austria. The castle is linked to the legendary healer and alchemist Johann Georg Faust, who may have worked there as a gold-maker for Anton von Staufen and died in a Staufen inn in 1539 after a chemical explosion. When the Staufen family died out in 1602 the castle and town reverted to Austria. Today the castle survives as a roofless ruin with sections of its enclosing walls still standing. The hilltop offers wide views over the surrounding countryside. A short walk from Staufen’s main square leads up to the remains, where visitors can trace the outline of the old buildings. The site is quiet, with only the wind and distant town sounds breaking the stillness. Information boards explain the castle’s story at key points along the path. The ruined walls give a clear sense of the fortress’s former strength and size.