Top 12 Castles around Dinkelscherben

The Schneeburg near Welden (District of Augsburg, Bavaria) is an early medieval ring rampart that served as a refuge castle in the 9th to 10th centuries to defend against Hungarian invasions. The site is located about 1.5 km south of Welden on a spur above the Laugnatal valley. It was an important defensive structure that functioned as a protective castle for the population and a troop assembly point. The fortification consisted of wood-earth constructions and ramparts, with the eastern side showing typical steps for defense against Magyar horsemen. Today, the earthworks and ditches are preserved as an archaeological monument, with the Ludwig-Ganghofer-Rundwanderweg circular hiking trail leading through the area.

The ringfort of Schneeburg is not the remains of a castle, but rather an archaeological monument that only reveals itself upon closer inspection. There were never any towers or stone walls here – the fortification consisted of earthworks, wooden palisades, and timber structures. Today, primarily ditches, ramparts, and the shape of the site are visible in the landscape. Historians assume that the oldest traces of Schneeburg date back to the Bronze Age. In the Middle Ages, it offered the local population protection from Hungarian invasions.

Hattenberg Castle Site The castle was built in the 12th century by the Chamberlains of Kemnat. The Hohenstaufen dynasty had granted the family the sub-advocateship over the possessions of the Bishopric of Augsburg in this area. The branch of the Kemnat family residing at Hattenberg subsequently took its name from the fortress. Several members of the family appear in contemporary documents from the 13th century. However, the castle was devastated in 1297 during a feud between the lord of the castle, Heinrich von Hattenberg, and Bishop Wolfhard von Rohr. The Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg then acquired the associated rights of lordship. Nevertheless, in 1304, the Hattenberg family was appointed Landvogt (governor) of Upper Swabia and city and district governor of Augsburg. Heavily indebted due to his military service in the army of Albrecht I of Austria, the nobleman attempted to improve his financial situation through several raids and highway robberies. The citizens of Augsburg, together with the bishop and the cathedral chapter, sued the knight before King Albrecht in 1305. Shortly thereafter, the "robber knight" was stripped of his bailiwick over the bishop's estates. The Hattenberg family line likely died out with Marquard von Hattenberg around 1370. The castle site had already been pledged by the Prince-Bishopric in 1365. In 1641, the Augsburg Cathedral Chapter purchased the Lordship of Hattenberg. Around 1780, the castle's remaining walls were demolished to make way for the construction of the brewery in Ustersbach. Later, the conical shape of the main castle was partially removed by quarrying the conglomerate rock deposits found there.

The castle was built in the 12th century by the chamberlains of Kemnat. The Hohenstaufen dynasty had granted the dynasty the sub-bailiwick over the possessions of the Diocese of Augsburg in this area. The branch of the Kemnat family based in Hattenberg subsequently named itself after the fortress. Several bearers of this name appear in contemporary documents in the 13th century. The castle was, however, already devastated in 1297 during a feud between the lord of the castle, Heinrich von Hattenberg, and Bishop Wolfhard von Rohr. The Bishopric of Augsburg subsequently acquired the associated sovereign rights.

Rhododendron blossom at Seyfriedsberg Castle

Former castle ruins with a notice board, which probably also belonged to the Oberschönefeld monastery!

Parts of an old castle that is permanently secured and with the appropriate information boards

The castle was probably built in the 10th century as the seat of the Lords Fraß, who are said to have distinguished themselves in the Battle of Lechfeld (955). This family of servants to the bishops of Augsburg later called themselves "von Wolfsperch" (1233) after the castle and had a wolf in their coat of arms. The earthworks and remains of the large keep have survived from the high medieval castle complex.