Already at the beginning of the village, the remains of a 15m high tower can be seen from afar. When you first reach the top of the ruins, you can enjoy the beautiful view over the forests, vineyards, fields and the village itself, and you can also climb up the tower. At the foot of the ruins there is a fireplace, which allows you to go back to medieval times while looking at the blazing fire...
History: "Castle on the free stone"
Freienstein Castle was built around 1250 by a Baron of Tengen; it was first mentioned in a document in 1254 (the will regulates the inheritance of Mr. Conrad de Tengen to his daughters and his son-in-law Egilolf de Hasli). In 1267, the castle was owned by the nobleman Egilof von Hasli, who was married to Ita von Tengen. From then on, he and his descendants called themselves "Barons of Freienstein". This name was also transferred to the farms at the foot of the castle hill. (The municipal coat of arms, which shows a blue lion, is the coat of arms of the Barons of Freienstein, to whom the municipality owes its name).
After the family died out in the middle of the 14th century, various representatives of the lower nobility lived in the castle. In 1436, Freienstein belonged to Hermann Künsch, a citizen of Schaffhausen. After he had captured a man from the county of Kyburg in 1443, the Winterthurers and Diessenhofers under governor Heinrich Schwend marched to the castle and set it on fire (see the saga “The End of Freienstein Castle”). Since then, the tower has remained a ruin and, after several changes of ownership, was acquired in 1600 by the Zurich von Meiss family, the owners of the Teufen court. After the Teufen castle estates were sold in 1838, Gottfried von Meiss kept the Freienstein ruins. In 1975, the von Meiss-Trachsler heirs donated the complex to the canton of Zurich. The ruins were conserved in 1976 and placed under the protection of the Swiss Confederation.
Saga: “The End of Freienstein Castle” (according to oral tradition, 1980)
The beautiful daughter of a free Embracher, who was said to have been a respected, influential man, once visited friends in the neighboring village of Winkel on a winter's day. Time flew by and she was only able to return after nightfall. Her path led her through the dark forest and she suddenly realized with horror that she was being pursued by a hungry wolf. However, she managed to reach the Kymenhof unharmed, with the intention of finding safety there. A young boy offered to escort the frightened girl to the village that same evening. This joint march ended with the young people falling in love and promising each other their loyalty.
But the robber baron of Freienstein also knew about the girl's beauty and he had often asked whether the child would be willing to enter his service at the castle. But each time he had received a clear rejection.
Weeks later, the young bride was alone in the forest collecting firewood. Then the Knight of Freienstein met her on horseback. He tried to persuade the girl again. But when she steadfastly refused, he grabbed her and lifted her onto his horse. He rode back to the castle at a gallop, where the daughter was held captive and at the mercy of the lord of the castle. But this violent abduction could not be kept secret for long. Soon the worried father also received news of his daughter's fate. He considered freeing his child from the clutches of the monster. Knowing the Swabian language and a good falconer, he entered the knight's service under a false name. He soon succeeded in helping his daughter to gain her long-awaited freedom. When he himself tried to make a run for it, the whole plan was uncovered. The poor father was thrown into the castle dungeon. The daughter then alerted her father's influential friends at Kyburg. The Landgrave quickly went to Freienstein with a troop of well-armed warriors to free the innocent prisoner. But the den of thieves could not be taken so easily. A siege was laid. Finally, they managed to set the tower on fire and force its inhabitants to leave the fortress. Unfortunately, the Kyburg warriors celebrated their victory a little too exuberantly. In their ecstasy of joy, they forgot the actual purpose of their conquest. In the meantime, the poor prisoner suffocated miserably in his dark cellar; when they remembered him again, it was already too late.
Location:
The castle ruins are located on a vineyard on the outskirts of Freienstein ZH. From the Freienstein residential school near Lindenhof (parking spaces available) you can reach the ruins via a staircase.
By train to Embrach-Rorbas station, then take bus 520 towards Freienstein, stop “Post”.
Access:
The castle ruins are accessible at any time.
