Alt-Tierstein Castle

The castle complex, situated on a rockfall block, is considered the ancestral castle of the Counts of Tierstein. It remained in the family's possession until its abandonment in the 15th century. Until the beginning of the 14th century, it was likely used at least partially as the seat of the counts, but later served merely as an administrative seat for a Vogt.

The Counts of Tierstein (-Homberg)

The family is first mentioned in 1082. Its first representatives named themselves after both Alt-Tierstein Castle and the neighboring Alt-Homberg Castle. As high bailiffs of the Diocese of Basel and as counts in Sisgau, the lineage belonged to the higher imperial nobility. Through marriage with the last heiress of the Counts of Saugern in the mid-12th century, the Tierstein line emerged. It took over the estates in the middle and lower Birs Valley with Neu-Tierstein Castle near Büsserach and subsequently established a large manorial lordship in the Basel area with the castles of Farnsburg, Pfeffingen, and Dorneck. Around 1500, the Tiersteins held estates in Alsace and resided at Hohkönigsburg near Sélestat. The family died out in 1519.

The Excavations

Alt-Tierstein was completely excavated and conserved in 1934/35 under the direction of Hans Erb by the first Swiss archaeological labor camp of the voluntary labor service. Subsequent renovations of the masonry took place in 1948, 1965, 1971, 1989, and 2005.

The extensive finds, mainly waste from daily life such as ceramics, bones, etc., attest to the settlement period of the complex from the 12th to the 15th century. Destruction by the Basel earthquake in 1356 has not been proven. However, among the finds are also objects from the Late Bronze Age. They thus attest to the occupation of the site as early as 1000 BC.