Reussenstein Castle, Medieval castle ruin in Neidlingen, Germany.
Reussenstein Castle is a castle ruin perched on a rocky spur at the northern edge of the Swabian Alb, above the village of Neidlingen. The remaining stone walls sit at the top of a steep cliff and are visible from the valley floor.
The castle was built in the 13th century by the Dukes of Teck and changed hands several times over the following centuries. By the 15th century it had passed to the Counts of Helfenstein, after which it gradually fell into ruin.
The name Reussenstein is thought to refer to the noble Reuss family, who once held influence in this part of Swabia. Visitors who reach the top can still walk among the remaining walls and look out over the valley below.
The ruin is reached on foot from Neidlingen via marked hiking trails, and the final section involves a steep rocky climb. Solid footwear is a good idea, as the path can be slippery when wet.
In 1846, the last lynx recorded in Germany was spotted in this area, giving the site a place in the country's natural history as well as its human past. The sighting shows how far wild animals had already retreated from settled land by the mid-19th century.
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