Burg Schenkenstein

Bopfingen, Germany

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Burg Schenkenstein is a medieval hilltop castle ruin located near Bopfingen in the Ostalbkreis district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was the seat of the free noble family von Stein in the 12th century and first appeared in historical records between 1138 and 1152.

Around 1230, the castle was sold to the Bishop of Augsburg but soon returned to its original owners before passing to the Counts of Oettingen. The castle was later managed by the Schenken von Ehringen family, who took their name from it. In 1410, the castle was temporarily opened to the Free Imperial City of Nördlingen for a fee.

It was stormed and rendered uninhabitable during the German Peasants' War in 1525 and subsequently abandoned. Today, parts of the round keep and some walls remain, alongside a nearby historic Jewish cemetery dating back to the 16th century. The ruins are a cultural landmark gifted to the local community in 1931.