Old Schauenburg Ruin

Frenkendorf, Switzerland, Switzerland

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Old Schauenburg Ruin, located on Chleiflüeli hill near Frenkendorf in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland, is a 13th-century castle ruin built around 1275 as the seat of a junior branch of the Schauenburg noble family.

Despite being younger than nearby Neu-Schauenburg, it earned the "old" designation after severe destruction in the 1356 Basel earthquake led to its abandonment within a century, leaving remnants of thick shield walls up to four meters, round risalits, a rectangular bergfried tower, residence hall, and possible cistern.

Excavated and conserved in 1949-1954 and 1976-1977, the forested site preserves high-status artifacts like oven fragments and a noble lady figurine, accessible via hiking trails near the French and German borders.