Kapfenstein Castle (Ruin) (Küblis)

The ruins of Kapfenstein Castle (also Ober-Sansch) are located above the hamlet of Tälfsch in the municipality of Küblis in Prättigau in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.

The name means "castle from which one looks out" and is related to the Middle High German verb "kapfen", which means "to look".

Following the natural course of the plateau are the remains of a curtain wall. In the southern area, it is preserved to a height of several meters, while on the north side it has mostly slipped. The original wall initially had a thickness of approx. 1.4 m and was later reinforced by an additional 1.5 m. The embrasures of the old wall were given a funnel shape in the new one.

The interior of the complex is covered with rubble; only the remains of former wall courses are still visible. The architectural connections of the considerable complex can no longer be recognized.

The Lords of Kapfenstein are attested from the 13th century: in 1249, Ulricus de Kaphinstain was designated as an arbitrator in a dispute with the Bishop of Chur over Gräpplang Castle near Flums. In 1275, Heinrich von Kapfenstein is mentioned as deceased. In 1365, "ain acker waz Kapfenstains" is mentioned in Zizers. The wording suggests that the family no longer existed at that time.

There are no written documents about the founding period of the castle itself; it is first mentioned in a document in 1275: when conditionally transferring his property to the Prince-Bishopric of Chur, Walter von Vaz excluded the county of Schams and Kapfenstein Castle. He had acquired the latter in an exchange from the deceased Heinrich von Kapfenstein. ... et castro de Kaphenstain cum et pertinenciis es omnibus, que cambivi cum domino Henrico pie memorie de Kaphenstain.

Like Strahlegg Castle, Kapfenstein was also enfeoffed to the von Straiff family. In 1351, the children of the deceased Simon Straiff renounced their rights to "der burg ze Kapfenstain und den zwei städelen, so darzu hörent" to Count Friedrich von Toggenburg and his wife Ursula von Vaz in exchange for compensation of 40 marks. Anton von Castelmur mentions an additional change of ownership in 1940, which does not appear in Meyer/Clavadetscher: On April 1, 1351, Andreas von Marmels and Ulrich Manus von Castelmur are said to have sold the castle for themselves and their brothers-in-law, the heirs of Simon Straiff, to Countess Kunigunde von Toggenburg. In 1352, Simon Straiff's son Johannes confirmed that the Toggenburgers had compensated him for "aller kost und schaden, so wir oder unser vatter sailig an der burg ze Kaphenstain verbuwen oder gehept han". In the division of the Toggenburg inheritance in 1394, Kapfenstein fell to Friedrich VII von Toggenburg. The castle was probably abandoned in the 15th century.

In 1982–84, stabilization work was carried out by the Canton of Graubünden, and in 1998, maintenance work and plan surveys were carried out by the Castle Association.