Bartelstein Castle

Bartelstein Castle, also known as Bartelstein Fortress, is a castle near Scheer in the Sigmaringen district in Baden-Württemberg.

The former castle was built on a limestone rock on the left bank of the Danube, receiving its name from the execution site that was located here when delinquents were still executed with the "Barte" (axe). Bartelstein Castle leads a shadowy existence next to the neighboring Scheer Castle.

The first known nobleman of this castle, which was built in the 11th and 12th centuries, was the knight Ortolf von Bartelstein. The old Bartelstein Castle originally stood on one of the rocks next to the current castle above a limestone cave system that still exists today. One of these cave passages once provided access to the castle.

Around 1589, the second Bartelstein Castle was built, but it was probably destroyed in the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648). The current small castle was built on the foundations of this castle. In the 18th century, the castle served as a prison.

A prison guard bought the property in 1832. Since then, it has remained in private ownership. Until 1906, the small castle belonged to this family and was threatened with decay. A wood pulp manufacturer from Scheer then fundamentally rebuilt Bartelstein. In 1971 and again in 1988, the entire property was sold.