Burg Siegeberg

Burg Siegeberg stands on a rocky spur 655 metres above sea level in the Geisinger valley, north-east of Upflamör, a village that belongs to Zwiefalten. The spur falls away steeply on three sides, giving the site a strong defensive position. A dry moat once cut the ridge where the main castle began. The castle was built in two parts: a small inner ward and a larger fortified farmyard lower down the slope. The inner ward measured fourteen by fifteen metres and contained a single tower-like building, probably a hall-keep. A second moat separated this from the outer ward, which was only slightly smaller. Below, on the valley edge, a walled enclosure of about ninety by fifty-five metres served as the fortified farmyard. The whole complex was owned first by the Sattel family, ministeriales of Reichenau Abbey, and later passed to Zwiefalten Abbey in 1311. Today the site is covered by forest, so the best view of its layout comes from the eastern edge of Upflamör. The remains of the moats and ramparts still mark the lines of the defences. The tower foundations lie beneath the trees on the narrow summit of the spur. The valley below shows why the builders chose this spot: the steep slopes and the narrow entrance to the Geisinger valley made the castle hard to reach.