Derneck Castle (Ruin)

Derneck Castle, also known as Degeneck, is a castle near Münzdorf, a district of the city of Hayingen, in the Reutlingen district in Baden-Württemberg. It is a shield wall castle on a spur from the 14th century.

The spur castle can be reached by car by driving from the Lautertal to Münzdorf, then after 700 meters on a signposted road to the hiking car park at the forester's house (formerly a plant nursery); from there it is another 500 meters on foot.

Immediately south of Derneck Castle is another castle site on the Kapf or Käpfle, about 330 meters away, Weiler Castle.

The castle was built around 1350 by Degenhard von Gundelfingen, a member of the regionally significant noble family. In the first construction phase, the shield wall, which still defines the building today, with a defensively integrated tower to the northwest, was created. In a later expansion phase, the shield wall and tower were extended into a residential tower-like "stone house".

After the extinction of the Gundelfinger von Derneck in 1546, the castle had various owners until it was bought by the House of Fürstenberg in 1768. They erected the remaining buildings that still exist today. In 1828, the castle came into the possession of Württemberg. Until 1965, it was used as a forester's residence.

In 1967/1968, extensive renovation work and a conversion into a hiker's hostel for the Swabian Alb Association were carried out.