Berneck Castle

Berneck Castle crowns the Berneck district of Altensteig. It was probably built between 1050 and 1100. More precise information is not available, but the historical context allows the period of its construction to be roughly narrowed down. A close connection to the old castle in Altensteig is suspected. At that time, castles could only be built with the permission or command of the king or duke. Castles as purely private protective structures for noble families only existed towards the end of the Staufer period around 1250. The first mention of the castle was in 1150, when Erlawin von Berneck entered the Reichenbach monastery (in the Murg Valley). From about 1200, it was the family castle of the Lords of Berneck. Originally Hohenbergian, Berneck belonged to the Electoral Palatinate from 1367 and to Württemberg from 1440. From circa 1350 to 1395, the Barons of Gültlingen owned the castle.

The location of Berneck Castle shows a highly strategic choice of site, which is well protected by slopes that drop steeply on three sides. The somewhat more exposed northwest side was secured by a shield wall. In front of the protective wall there was also a ditch, which was probably created as a quarry during the construction of the castle. This approximately 23-meter-long shield wall is about thirty meters high and 2.6 meters thick and built with bossed ashlar. On the shield wall there is also a battlement with loopholes, which was probably added later.

In the years 1559 and 1660, the castle burned down twice. In each case, normal castle fires were responsible, not siege situations.

In 1846-1847, the Upper Castle was built on the foundations of the previous building. This was probably a pure modernization, without the old castle having burned down or being dilapidated.

The Lower Castle was built in 1768 as a residential and administrative building; it is a spacious Rococo building.