Ruine Gleißenburg

Blaubeuren, Germany, Germany

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Ruine Gleißenburg is the remains of a small medieval hilltop castle perched on a rocky spur about 640 meters above sea level above the Höllental, west of Beiningen, a district of Blaubeuren in the Alb‑Donau‑Kreis of Baden‑Württemberg, Germany.

The castle was first mentioned in the 15th century and originally built as a minor noble fortress, later passing into the hands of the local Spital (hospital foundation) of Blaubeuren before being damaged and ultimately abandoned. 

Today only low fragments of the enclosing walls and the outlines of a former courtyard are visible, with the site having been largely leveled over time, so the ruin offers more of a quiet, wooded historical atmosphere than a major reconstructed monument. The spot is best reached by footpaths from the Blaubeuren area and is often included in circular hikes through the nearby Höllental and Felsenlabyrinth.