Burg Burgholz

Burg Burgholz stands on a low hill 375 metres above sea level, 2.5 kilometres east-south-east of Tübingen along the main road to Reutlingen. It is the remains of a medieval hillfort whose earthworks were surveyed in 1896 and again in 1982. The site once had a 150-metre-long rampart and a pair of gate openings shaped like pincers. Today only grassy banks and shallow ditches mark where walls once stood. Archaeologists recognise Burgholz as a multi-period fortification, used and altered over several centuries. The earliest work probably belongs to the early Middle Ages, when local lords needed quick defences. Later, in the 9th or 10th century, the ramparts were strengthened and the gate rebuilt. The name ‘Burgholz’—meaning ‘wooded hill-fort’—still hints at the dense forest that once covered the slopes. Visitors walk a quiet farm track to the top of the hill. From the ramparts they look north-west across the Neckar valley towards Tübingen’s spires. The earthworks run in a gentle curve for about 150 metres, with a shallow ditch on the inner side. Wild roses and blackberries grow among the grass, and the only sounds are skylarks and passing cars on the road below. The site is open every day, free of charge, and needs no booking.