Very small and yet a piece of history - No one could really help me in my search for these few remains of the wall, because no one in the area knew of a ruin in the forest below Regensberg. After a long search, I finally found myself in front of the controversial remains of the wall. The few historical remains of the walls were not particularly impressive, but what is far more interesting is the fact that there is no agreement, or was not, about what exactly the remains of the wall are...
The excavation 1961/62
During an excavation in 1961/62, the remains of the walls of an almost square building with three rooms were uncovered in the “Pflasterwiese”. The room in the northwest is sunken as a cellar. In the filling of the cellar were numerous shards of ceramic dishes and tiled stoves from the 15th to 17th centuries.
The ruin: castle or pilgrim hostel?
Since a knightly family from Sünikon appears in written sources in the 13th and 14th centuries and on Jos Murer's map from 1566 a Sünikon castle is also listed as a ruin next to the Pflasterbach chapel, after the excavation the then preserved ruins were often interpreted as the remains of this Sünikon castle.
In 1961/62, however, no objects from the time of the Knights of Sünikon were found, and buildings excavated at that time cannot be interpreted as a 13th century castle. Doubts have therefore been repeatedly expressed about the interpretation of the castle as a castle.
In fact, the ruins must be the remains of a pilgrim's hostel. As the written sources and archaeological finds show, it continued to be used as a tavern until the 17th century. However, the location of the once much-visited Maria Pflasterbach pilgrimage chapel, mentioned in writings, which was located on the old pilgrimage route from the Black Forest to Einsiedeln in the 16th century, and the priest's house are still unknown.
Directions/Location
If you drive from Sünikon (Steinmaur) ZH towards Regensberg, the forest ends on the left side of the road, the next turn-off is to the right into the forest (field path). However, there are some driving bans in this part of the forest, which may make it difficult to drive directly to the ruins. There are enough parking spaces at the beginning of Regensberg.
Access
Accessible at any time.
