Burg Berneck

Burg Berneck stands on a rocky spur between the Köllbach and Bruderbachtal valleys near Berneck, a district of Altensteig in the Black Forest. Built between 1050 and 1100 by the noble lords of Berneck, it was first mentioned early in the 12th century. By 1294 the family had become ministeriales in the service of the Counts of Hohenberg. When the Berneck line died out in the 16th century, their kinsmen the lords of Gültlingen inherited the castle. The estate remained a joint possession of the family until the early 20th century. After fires in 1559 and 1660 the present Upper Castle was erected in 1674. Another blaze in 1846 led to the construction of the current neo-Gothic residential buildings between 1846 and 1847. The fortress is a classic shield-wall castle with a keep of ashlar blocks, a wall-walk and small corner turrets. Its 26.6-metre-long shield wall rises about 38 metres and is nearly 3.3 metres thick at the base, making it a prominent landmark for miles around. A rock-cut neck ditch once protected the town and castle but has since been filled in. Visitors walk through the remnants of the medieval stronghold and see the tall shield wall with its restored wall-walk. The neo-Gothic living quarters from the 19th century stand beside the older parts of the castle. The site offers wide views over the surrounding valleys and woods. The rocky spur itself, once scarped to form a defensive ditch, still bears traces of the original fortification. The contrast between the medieval masonry and the later neo-Gothic wings gives the place its special character.