Burgruine Wartau

Wartau, Switzerland, Switzerland

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Burgruine Wartau is a prominent ruined hill castle towering on St. Martinshügel hill at 650 meters above sea level in the municipality of Wartau, Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland, constructed around 1225 likely by the Lords of Wildenberg as a strategic stronghold overlooking the Rhine Valley.

It changed hands frequently through feuds, pledges, and sales among noble families like Werdenberg-Heiligenberg, Belmont, Toggenburg, and Thierstein before being acquired by Glarus in 1517, after which it lost importance and was abandoned by 1530, falling into decay.

Recognized as a Swiss heritage site of national significance, the ruins feature a massive 22-meter-high bergfried tower with 1.75-meter-thick walls, ring fortifications, and a cistern, restored in 1932 and 1982, now maintained by a local foundation for public access and historical research.