Burg Waldau (Schwäbisch Gmünd)

Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany, Germany

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Burg Waldau is the ruins of a hilltop castle located near the Waldau district (part of Großdeinbach) of Schwäbisch Gmünd in the Ostalbkreis district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, at an elevation of 451 meters above sea level.

Also known historically as Hohenwalden, this Staufer-era spur castle was built after 1150 and is one of the oldest fortifications in the region, with archaeological finds including bossed stone blocks and pottery from the 12th to 14th centuries confirming its medieval origins.

The castle was first owned by Kraft von Klingenfels in 1301, who donated it to Lorch Monastery, and later passed to the Lords of Rechberg before being sold to the imperial city of Schwäbisch Gmünd in 1540. Today, only some wall remains survive from the castle ruins, though the site is historically significant as a 12th-century fortification from the Hohenstaufen period.