Ruine Kirneck

Ruine Kirneck is a castle ruin in Villingen-Schwenningen located on a rock formation roughly 780 meters above the Kirnach Valley. The surviving shield wall extends about 18 meters in length and rises seven meters in height, still showing the traces of its medieval fortifications.

The small hilltop fortress was built by the Lords of Kirneck in the late 12th century, with Hugo von Kirneck first documented in 1185. The structure served as a defensive stronghold within the medieval Black Forest region's network of protective installations.

The remnants of this medieval stronghold demonstrate the architectural techniques and defensive strategies employed by German nobility during the Middle Ages.

The site is reachable on foot, though the climb to the rock formation requires some effort. Extensive safety work was completed in 2010 to stabilize the ruins, making them safely accessible for visitors to walk through and around.

At the base of the rock formation stands a chapel dedicated to Saint Wendelin, with dates to 1496. This pairing of a military fortress with a place of worship demonstrates how closely secular and religious structures intertwined in medieval times.