What remains of the Ruine Briel today?

Only buried wall foundations at ground level and a dry moat survive, the buildings themselves having disappeared after their demolition in the 15th century.

Who built this castle?

It was built around 1200 by the lords of Steußlingen, whose original family seat it was.

Why was the castle destroyed?

In 1489, when it was sold to the Ehingen hospital, the Count of Württemberg required as a condition that it be torn down and never rebuilt.

Can the Ruine Briel be visited freely?

No opening hours or fees are recorded, as it is an open-air site reached on foot across the rocky spur.

Ruine Briel

Ehingen

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where: Ehingen

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

Burg Derneck (Derneck Castle)Accommodation on site12 km

Ruine Briel stands in Ehingen (Alb-Donau-Kreis), in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. No visits are on record for this building.

The Ruine Briel, also known as Altsteußlingen, marks the site of a former spur castle above the hamlet of Briel, northwest of Ehingen. Built around 1200, it was the ancestral seat of the lords of Steußlingen and was deliberately torn down at the end of the 15th century by order of the Count of Württemberg. Today only buried wall foundations and a dry moat remain visible at ground level, the stones having been quarried away after the demolition.

What to know

The site sits on a rocky spur away from the hamlet of Briel, so reaching it involves a walk.
No standing walls remain, only buried foundations and a dry moat, so little is visually striking on site.
No opening hours, fees or visitor facilities are indicated, as the ruin lies in open countryside.
Excavations in 1927 produced a ground plan of the former castle, but nothing has been rebuilt there.

Where this château is

Ehingen · Alb-Donau-Kreis · Baden-Württemberg

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Ehingen, Alb-Donau-Kreis

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

Get directions View on a map

Heritage status: Protection status unknown

In pictures

Frequently asked

What remains of the Ruine Briel today?: Only buried wall foundations at ground level and a dry moat survive, the buildings themselves having disappeared after their demolition in the 15th century.
Who built this castle?: It was built around 1200 by the lords of Steußlingen, whose original family seat it was.
Why was the castle destroyed?: In 1489, when it was sold to the Ehingen hospital, the Count of Württemberg required as a condition that it be torn down and never rebuilt.
Can the Ruine Briel be visited freely?: No opening hours or fees are recorded, as it is an open-air site reached on foot across the rocky spur.