The ruins of the medieval Helfenberg Castle are located in the Thurgau municipality of Hüttwilen near the village of Uerschhausen, embedded in a swampy landscape around Lake Hüttwiler.
Story
The medieval Helfenberg Castle was first mentioned in a St. Gallen document at the beginning of the 14th century. As early as 1413, there was only mention of a castle stable, which suggests that the complex was no longer habitable or only partially habitable at that time.
The empty castle
Once upon a time, a man lived in a castle near Hüttwilen. He was rich in money and property. But no one ever saw him, as he never showed himself in daylight. He only walked across the fields at night. If a farmer came towards him, he made a detour. If someone wanted to speak to him, he had to go to the castle owner's old servant, who took care of all the business. Little by little, it came to light why this man was so shy of people.
When he was young, he shared all his possessions with his younger brother. As this angered him in his greed, he secretly killed his brother and spread the word that he had died of an infirmity. From then on, he never had a moment's peace; but years passed before he was found dead in his room. After that, relatives moved into the castle. But every night, when the twelfth hour struck, there was a rumbling and banging, and a white figure wandered through the rooms and corridors of the castle. A maid who once ran into the white figure died of terror. When this nightly mischief seemed to have no end, the people left the castle. From then on, it stood empty. No one dared to live there anymore. Wind and weather tore at the windows and walls, and the castle fell into ruin. Today, all that remains is bushes and the remains of walls where the castle once stood.
Access
The ruins can be reached on foot in just a few minutes from the car park between the Hüttwiler and Nussbaumer lakes.
