Burgstall Siebnach

The early medieval Burgstall Siebnach stands on the Buchberg above the Ettringen district of Siebnach in the Unterallgäu district of Swabia. It is a hilltop fortification from the 10th century, built as a Hungarian defence work. The site shows typical earthworks of this period, with deep ditches and high ramparts. Historians first recorded a castle here in 1083, when King Frederick of Swabia captured a stronghold belonging to the anti-king Hermann of Salm. The layout matches nearby Hungarian-period sites such as the Haldenburg. Experts debate whether the Buchberg site dates from before or after the Battle of Lechfeld in 955. The absence of outer obstacles like ditches or pits does not rule out a 10th-century origin, as smaller village forts relied instead on fences or thorn hedges. Visitors walk a path along the northern slope to the outer gate. The main rampart rises about five metres, with a ditch and a central causeway for entry. On the north-east side, two low mounds mark where towers once stood. The oval inner bailey is protected by steep drops on the east and south, while a double rampart and ditch separate the large outer ward to the west. The whole fortification shows careful design, with the main wall following the natural ridge and the outer works reducing in height to blend with the landscape.