Burg Randeck

Burg Randeck is a ruined hilltop castle standing at 790 metres above sea level near the boundary of Ochsenwang and Neidlingen in the district of Esslingen. Built in the late 13th century by Konrad von Neidlingen, it was first named in a 1292 charter when Heinrich von Randeck took the title. The family of Randeck lived there until the 15th century. A 1589 forest map by Georg Gadner still shows the building intact, but by the time Johann Kieser drew his map between 1680 and 1687 only the masonry remained. Traces of the surrounding ditch can still be seen today. The castle gives its name to the Randecker Maar, a volcanic lake about one kilometre to the west. The site sits directly on the Albtrauf escarpment, offering wide views across the Swabian Alb. Forest tracks lead up to the ruins from Hepsisau and Neidlingen, making the walk itself part of the visit. Visitors can walk the perimeter of the old walls and see the remains of the ditch that once defended the approach. The ruins stand within a quiet stretch of woodland, far from any village. The nearest settlement is Ochsenwang, a hamlet of Bissingen an der Teck. The contrast between the stone fragments and the surrounding beech and spruce forest adds to the atmosphere. Hikers often combine the visit with a circuit of the Randecker Maar, completing a loop of about ten kilometres. The place is little changed since the 17th century, when it became the ruin it remains today.