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Ruine Wartstein (Württemberg), Erbstetten

Ruine Wartstein (Württemberg)

Erbstetten

Visit

Hours to be confirmed

Where
Erbstetten

Hours and prices not verified at the source yet.

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

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Ruine Wartstein (Württemberg) stands in Erbstetten (Alb-Donau-Kreis), in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The building is a listed Baudenkmal. Recorded dating: 12th century. Its opening hours and prices have not been verified at the source yet.

The Ruine Wartstein sits on a rocky spur at 660 metres above sea level, overlooking the valley of the Große Lauter from a height of 150 metres, near Erbstetten. What remains from the 12th-century rock castle is mainly a striking 12-metre-high shield wall that served as a keep, once sheltering a double-gabled hall building. This surviving wall section now functions as a lookout tower and is the site's most notable feature.

What to know

  • The site sits on a rocky spur and is reached on foot via a hiking trail.
  • The ruin serves as a viewpoint along routes 2 and 5 of the Schwäbischer Albverein hiking network.
  • There are no set opening hours or admission fees, as the site is an open-air location with free access.
  • Only part of the shield wall, now used as a tower, has survived; the rest of the fortress is gone.
  • Reaching the site involves some elevation gain, so a degree of fitness is advisable.

Where this château is

Erbstetten · Alb-Donau-Kreis · Baden-Württemberg

Map of the area around Ruine Wartstein (Württemberg)

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Nahe, 89584 Ehingen (Donau)

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

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Château phone number

+49 7386 316

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The safest check before setting off: today’s hours, guided-tour availability, where to park.

4.6 / 5from 277 Google reviews

Heritage status
Kulturdenkmal in Deutschland
Period of construction
12th century

Base map © IGN, Géoplateforme

Frequently asked

Can you visit the Ruine Wartstein freely?
Yes, it is an open-air site with no set hours or admission fee.
What remains of the Wartstein castle?
Mainly a 12-metre-high shield wall that once served as a keep and now functions as a lookout tower.
How do you reach the Ruine Wartstein?
On foot via a hiking trail, as the ruin sits on a rocky spur above the valley of the Große Lauter.
Is the Ruine Wartstein a viewpoint?
Yes, the surviving tower offers a viewpoint along hiking routes 2 and 5 of the Schwäbischer Albverein.

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Sources

Identity, location and official references from Wikidata and the Land's heritage lists.

Within an hour’s drive

The most visited in this department — Alb-Donau-Kreis

From the same period — 12e siècle