Heinzenberg Castle, Medieval castle ruins in Grisons, Switzerland
Heinzenberg Castle is a ruin with a pentagonal tower standing on a rocky hill below Präz village. The preserved walls reach about three stories high at 1130 meters elevation and show traces of plaster in several places.
The Barons of Vaz built the castle around 1200 as a political and judicial center for Domleschg Valley. It held this role until 1504, when it was abandoned.
The castle shows medieval building techniques through its preserved wall segments and beam holes. These details allow visitors to understand directly how craftsmen worked in that era.
Marked hiking paths lead visitors up to the castle ruins, with information panels along the way. Good footwear and some stamina help, as the path can be steep in places.
Three sides of the castle hill are protected by natural rock formations, while the southeast side features an artificially dug defensive trench. This deliberate construction method shows how builders combined natural landscape with engineering.
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