Ruine Alt-Ehrenfels

Alt-Ehrenfels stands on a hilltop at 610 metres above sea level where the Schweif valley opens. The ruins lie two thousand one hundred metres west of Hayingen, beside the Schloss Ehrenfels. Built in the 13th century by the lords of Ehrenfels, it first appears in records in 1257 when Anselm of Ehrenfels is named. The Gundelfingen family later took possession until the castle became a refuge for robbers. In 1516 troops from Zwiefalten abbey tore it down to stop the raids. The remains include a round bergfried set on a shield wall, seven metres wide. A shallow neck ditch still traces the defensive line around the site. Little else survives above ground, yet the position commands wide views across the valley and the surrounding plateau. The ruins are quiet now, visited mainly by walkers who follow forest paths to the hilltop. From the crest visitors look down on the wooded slopes and distant villages. The stonework is weathered but the bergfried’s base stands firm. A reconstruction drawing shows how the castle once looked before its destruction. The site offers a clear picture of a medieval fortress and the reasons for its end.