Badenweiler Castle

Badenweiler, Germany, Germany

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Badenweiler Castle, also known as Burg Baden, is a romantic medieval ruin perched atop a hill overlooking the spa gardens of Badenweiler in the Black Forest region of southwestern Germany.

First mentioned in historical records in the early 12th century and likely founded by the House of Zähringen, the castle was originally built to protect nearby silver mines and later became a major strategic fortress under the margraves of Baden after 1503. Its oldest and most striking feature is the Palas (great hall) with late Romanesque arched windows, and the castle's construction actually reused materials from an even older Roman spa located beneath it.

The castle was destroyed in 1678 by French soldiers during the Dutch War and was never rebuilt, leaving behind evocative ruins that offer stunning panoramic views of the Vosges Mountains, the Black Forest, and even as far as Alsace and Switzerland.

Today, visitors can explore the well-preserved ruins, walk through the English-style landscape garden below, and enjoy hiking trails in the surrounding forest, with the site open year-round and having undergone restoration in 1982 and 2004 to keep it safe for tourists.