Ruine Hochburg

Emmendingen, Germany

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Ruine Hochburg near Emmendingen, Germany, is one of the largest castle ruins in the Upper Rhine Valley, originally built in the 11th century, likely by Dietrich von Hachberg. The castle served as a key fortress for the Lords of Hachberg, who later became the Margraves of Baden-Hachberg, and was expanded significantly in the 16th century into a Renaissance palace and fortress with seven star-shaped bastions under Margrave Georg Friedrich von Baden.

Hochburg played a crucial defensive role through numerous conflicts, surviving sieges during the German Peasants’ War and the Thirty Years’ War but was ultimately destroyed by French forces in the late 17th century to prevent its use as a military base. Since the 19th century, efforts to preserve the ruins began, and since 1971 a dedicated association has maintained and restored the site, allowing visitors to explore the ruins, including the prison, cooper’s yard, and a castle museum.

The castle’s hilltop location offers sweeping views of the Rhine Valley and Black Forest, making it a significant historical and cultural landmark.