Albeck Castle (Ruin)

The Albeck ruin is a medieval castle ruin near Sulz am Neckar in the Rottweil district in Baden-Württemberg.

Pottery finds from the Bronze Age were found at the site of the present-day Albeck castle ruin. Around 380, the castle was fortified by the Alemanni. After 910, a Count Alwig I of Sulz is referred to as the rebuilder. In 1095, the Counts of Sulz are mentioned for the first time.

In the years 1251/52, the castle came into the possession of the House of Geroldseck through the marriage of a Countess to Walter von Geroldseck/Diersburg. During the time of Heinrich I (Lord of Hohengeroldseck and Count of Sulz), in 1284, the Roman-German King Rudolf von Habsburg granted town rights to the town of Sulz below. At the end of the 13th century, the castle was expanded into its current form by the Barons of Geroldseck. During the feud against Bubenhofen in 1414, Albeck Castle was not conquered, unlike the town of Sulz.

In 1469, Albeck Castle was besieged by Count Eberhard im Bart with 4000 men and 400 riders. On October 3, 1471, the castle was conquered, Hans von Geroldseck and 3 sons were taken prisoner to Hohenurach Castle. Two years later, in 1473, the Geroldseckers renounced their possessions and received compensation from Count Eberhard of Württemberg. In the years 1618 to 1648, the castle was alternately occupied by Bavarian troops. The castle was renovated through corvée labor by the surrounding villages during the Thirty Years' War and again in 1678 through corvée labor. On December 30, 1688, the castle was destroyed by fire and explosions by French troops.

Later, the castle, along with an associated estate, came into the possession of the Barons von Hayn. The Württemberg Court Domain Chamber bought the Geroldseck manor from Mr. v. Hayn with a contract dated July 20, 1864, for 150,000 guilders.

In 1969, a Dr. Brand from Lahn bought the castle ruin for 5,000 DM from the Württemberg Court Chamber Administration. The city of Sulz then acquired the ruin in 1978 for 33,000 DM. On March 10, 1995, the "Förderverein Ruine Albeck" (Friends of Albeck Ruin Association) was founded.