Burg Honberg

Burg Honberg stands above the Danube valley on a hill called Honberg, just outside Tuttlingen in Baden-Württemberg. It was built in the late 15th century by Count Eberhard im Bart as one of Württemberg’s key fortresses. In 1645, during the Thirty Years’ War, the defenders themselves demolished the walls to keep the town safe. Later, stones were taken for the Schwäbische Hüttenwerke and the rebuilding of Tuttlingen after the 1803 fire. Only in the 19th century were the two towers restored, though not in their original shape.

The ruined walls still frame a summer festival called the Honberg-Sommer, a two-week tented music event held each year. Medieval markets are also held here from time to time. One of the towers now houses the Tuttlingen radio transmitter, replacing a steel frame tower that stood nearby until 2013.

Visitors walk among the remaining curtain walls and towers, with views across the Danube valley. The site is quiet outside festival times, offering a clear sense of the fortress’s former strength. The two rebuilt towers mark the skyline, while the rest of the ruins show the damage of war and reuse. The surrounding hilltop is grassy and open, giving a wide outlook over Tuttlingen and the river below.