Hohenhewen, Mountain summit in Engen, Germany

Hohenhewen is a volcanic summit in the Hegau region of Baden-Württemberg, rising to 845.3 metres and towering about 300 metres above the town of Engen. Its summit plateau holds the ruins of Hohenhewen Castle and a viewing platform built on the remains of the bergfried. The rock is a dark, fine-grained melilith-bearing olivine nephelinite, often called basalt in the field but lower in silica than true basalt.

Medieval castle ruins from the 11th century crown the summit and once served as a fortress for the Counts of Lupfen-Stühlingen. These rulers controlled important trade routes passing through the region.

The name Hohenhewen is probably of Celtic origin: the Celtic word for a domed mountain is ceven. It is possible that the mountain gave its name to the Hegau region (Hewengew). Locals also call the mountain Höwen or Hohenhöwen.

Two hiking paths lead to the summit: a wider, gentler route from Anselfingen in the north and a steeper trail from Welschingen in the south. You can choose the path that suits your fitness level and available time.

The two landslides on the eastern slope occurred in 1816 and 1817, and the former scarp is still visible in the terrain. The botanically interesting steep eastern flank is part of a 39-hectare nature reserve designated in 1982.