Ruine Schenkenburg, Castle ruin in Schenkenzell, Germany.
Ruine Schenkenburg is a castle ruin perched on a ridge overlooking the Kinzigtal valley, with a keep tower standing about 16 feet (5 meters) high and partial walls from the main residential building still visible. The remains show the typical layout of a medieval fortress with its stone foundations and structural divisions.
The fortress was built between 1220 and 1250 by the Schenken von Zell family and subsequently changed hands multiple times among regional powers. Destruction came in 1534 when Count Wilhelm von Fürstenberg attacked and razed it, leaving behind the ruins we see today.
The name reflects the Schenken von Zell family who built it to assert control over the region. Today the remaining walls tell the story of how such strongholds once commanded trade routes and dominated the valley.
The ruins can be reached via a secured climbing route with steel cables for safety and handholds. Information boards positioned throughout the site explain the castle's history and help visitors understand the layout of the different structures.
The site serves as a starting point for circular hiking paths that offer varied perspectives of the ruins and the surrounding valley landscape. These trails allow visitors to appreciate how the castle once dominated the terrain from different vantage points.
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