Burg Hohlenstein

Burg Hohlenstein was once a lowland castle near the Hohlmühle at the mouth of the Kiesental valley close to Herrlingen, a village now part of Blaustein in the Alb-Donau district of Baden-Württemberg. The site lay on flat ground beside the river rather than on a hilltop. The castle was built to control the route along the valley floor. Its name, Hohlenstein, means ‘hollow stone’, perhaps describing the rock face behind the mill. Today only the name remains on local maps. The castle was recorded in the 19th century when its walls still stood. Early photographs show the keep and curtain wall rising above the valley floor. By the early 20th century the ruins had been cleared away. A stone quarry opened on the site and removed every trace of the masonry. Only the earthworks and a few foundation stones survive beneath the soil. Visitors walk along the Kiesental valley path that passes the former castle site. The route follows the river through meadows and small woods. The hollow in the hillside where the mill once stood is still visible. A modern footbridge crosses the stream near the old millrace. From here the valley opens towards Blaustein village in the distance.