Burgstelle Kyffelburg

The Kyffelburg is a ruined medieval castle in Waldkirch, a town in the Emmendingen district of Baden-Württemberg. It stands near the St Margarethen monastery, between Probsteistraße, Kandelstraße and Dettenbachstraße. First mentioned in 1454, the castle was owned by local nobles such as the Fischerbach family and later Hans von Sulz. In 1485 the chapel was under the care of Kaplan Nikolaus Holderman, and by 1490 the Margarethenstift held the property. By 1762 the structure had become unsafe and was demolished. The name Kyffelburg may come from the old verb ‘kiffeln’, meaning to quarrel or dispute. The castle’s owners often clashed over rights and revenues, giving rise to the nickname. After demolition only written records remain, with no visible traces of walls or towers. Archaeologists have searched the site but found no surviving foundations. The nearby Küchlinsburg shares a similar fate, leaving two lost strongholds in Waldkirch. Visitors walk through quiet residential streets where the castle once stood. The area around the monastery is peaceful, with no castle ruins to see. Information boards explain the site’s history and the disputes that gave it its name. A local historian has discussed the Kyffelburg in interviews, adding detail to the story. The vanished fortress remains a quiet footnote in Waldkirch’s past.