Wasserburg Untermünkheim

The Wasserburg Untermünkheim stands on a low hill beside the Kocher river in the village of Untermünkheim. It was built in the 13th century as a motte-and-bailey castle by the Lords of Münkheim to guard a river crossing. The single round tower had a cellar and was surrounded by a moat fed from the river. A document of 1216 first mentions the fortress, but it was already ruined before the 15th century. The site still shows the original earthworks and water-filled ditches. In 1564 a stone bridge replaced the old ford, and the castle remains became part of the landscape. Archaeologists have found traces of the tower’s foundations and the garderobe chute that once emptied into the moat. The motte is now covered with grass and a few young trees. Visitors walk up the gentle slope of the mound and circle the central hollow where the tower once rose. The surrounding moat holds water year-round, reflecting the sky and the surrounding meadows. From the top there are wide views across the valley towards the spires of Schwäbisch Hall. The site is quiet, with only the sound of water and birds.