Hohenstein Castle, also known as Alt-Hohenstein, is one of the oldest hilltop castles on the upper Neckar and stands 578.3 metres above sea level. Located east of the municipality of Villingendorf in the Rottweil district of Baden-Württemberg, the venerable ruin rises modestly above the landscape. Its old walls, overgrown with moss and ivy, whisper of a glorious past and give the surroundings a mystical aura. The view from the castle over the Neckar valley reveals a harmonious play of light and shadow that inspires the imagination and makes time stand still.
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Hohenstein Castle, founded by the noble Lords of Urslingen, was first mentioned in documents before 1100. In the 13th century it came into the possession of the Lords of Zimmern. During the Imperial War between 1311 and 1312, the castle was attacked and destroyed by the Imperial City of Rottweil, as the Lords of Zimmern were on the side of the Württembergers.
In the 14th century, the ruins and the manor belonged to the Lords of Reute, who mortgaged the estate to the Neuneck family in 1361. In 1411, the property passed to the Counts of Sulz, and in 1456 again to the Lords of Zimmern. From 1513, the farm, together with the town of Dietingen, belonged to the imperial city of Rottweil. Later, the property passed to the Rottweil steward Strehmayer and finally to the Counts of Bissingen-Nippenburg.
Today, only a section of the wall and the foundations of the castle remain. On the plateau to the north-east stands Hohenstein Castle, which was built in 1923 by the Counts of Bissingen-Nippenburg.
Today only a moat and two retaining walls of the keep remain.
Access
The castle is not accessible by path. Good footwear and surefootedness are required.
