Wasserburg Asenheim

The Wasserburg Asenheim stands on a small hill five kilometres north-north-east of Riedlingen, near the edge of the Esendorf forest in Baden-Württemberg. Once a moated castle, it was first recorded in 1424 as belonging to Zwiefalten Abbey. Today only the circular mound, about twenty metres across, remains of the original structure. The site’s circular water-filled ditch still marks the outline of the vanished fortress. The mound itself rises gently above the surrounding fields, giving a clear sense of how the castle once dominated the flat landscape. Archaeologists recognise the ditch as part of the 15th-century defences. Visitors reach the mound along farm tracks from nearby lanes. From the top there are wide views over the Riedlingen valley and the wooded hills beyond. The quiet spot is best visited in late afternoon when the light picks out the curve of the old ditch.