Bichishausen Castle (Ruin)

Bichishausen Castle is a castle ruin between Münsingen and Zwiefalten in Baden-Württemberg. The ruin of the rock castle is located on the Swabian Alb in the Lauter Valley. It marked the border between Württemberg and Fürstenberg. Along the Lauter, eleven castles are within sight of each other.

In the 11th century, the property belonged to the Counts of Achalm and from the 13th century to the Gundelfingers. The castle was built in the first half of the 13th century, probably by Swigger IV von Gundelfingen or Konrad II, the later Württemberg regional judge. A note from 1306 testifies that a tower was demolished around 1300 "to make his own castle stronger". At this time, the complete rebuilding of the castle with the construction of the massive shield wall can be dated. A typical shield wall castle with two castle courtyards was created. During the restoration of the castle in 1973, the stump of the 13th-century keep was found.

In 1372, a Kuno Truchsess von Bichishausen fought on the Württemberg side in a battle against the imperial city of Reutlingen and fell.

Around the middle of the fourteenth century, possibly after the death of the last Truchsess von Bichishausen, the Truchsesses of Magolsheim acquired the castle. By inheritance, after the death of the last Truchsesses, the castle passed to the Buttlar family in 1510, followed by Wolf von Vellberg in 1545, Count Georg von Helfenstein in 1552, and Prince von Fürstenberg in 1627.

Under Heinrich Treisch von Buttlar, further expansion work took place in the 16th century. He had the main buildings adapted to the living requirements of his time. The construction of the curtain walls can be dated to these building measures. After the death of Heinrich Treisch, the complex fell into disrepair.

The castle was destroyed in the 17th century. In 1923, the castle became private property and in 1972 it passed to the district. Between 1973 and 1975, it was restored again.