Burgrest Baumgarten

A ruined castle stands in a small wood about 160 metres north-west of the old wooden bridge on the western shore of Lake Constance near Oberbaumgarten, a village in Eriskirch. Built around 1180 on the site of a fortified farm, it was mentioned in 1185 and linked to nearby Löwental castle. Staufer ministeriales lived here until 1271, when the castle and village were sold to the Bishop of Constance. The bishops kept Eriskirch until 1472, after which the site passed from use. The remains are modest but still visible through the undergrowth. A low bank marks the former outer wall, and a shallow ditch runs along the north side. The core of the castle was a simple rectangular tower on a small mound, now flattened by centuries of weather. No buildings survive above ground, yet the earthworks show where the hall and chapel once stood. Visitors walk a quiet woodland path from the bridge to the ruins. The site lies beside a stretch of shoreline where reeds grow among the trees. A bench faces the water, giving a view across the lake to the Alps on clear days. The air carries the scent of damp earth and pine needles, and the only sounds are birdsong and the occasional boat passing on the water.