Old-Wartburg Castle

The Alt-Wartburg is a castle ruin in the municipality of Oftringen in the Swiss canton of Aargau. The ruin is located at 632 m above sea level on the Sälli, a subsidiary peak of the Engelberg chain, which overlooks the Aare Valley and the Wigger Valley. Just 150 meters further north is the Neu-Wartburg (also called Sälischlössli), however, on the territory of the municipality of Starrkirch-Wil.

Shortly before the year 1200, the Lords of Ifenthal had the castle built. Older research still assumed the Counts of Frohburg. From 1201, a Werner von Ifenthal becomes traceable in documents; with the construction of the Alt-Wartburg and later the Neu-Wartburg, the Ifenthalers probably tried to free themselves from their vassalage to the Frohburgers. During the 13th century, a significant expansion took place, and by 1325, the structural development was completed.

In the middle of the 14th century, the Alt-Wartburg came into the possession of the related Lords of Büttikon. They sold the property in 1379 to the Hallwyler family. When the Confederates conquered Aargau in 1415, Bernese troops burned down both Wartburg castles. While the Hallwylers later rebuilt the Neu-Wartburg, they allowed the Alt-Wartburg to fall into ruin. In 1966/67, the remaining walls were excavated and restored.