Schalun Castle, Castle ruins in Vaduz, Liechtenstein

Schalun Castle stands northeast of Vaduz at 864 meters (2,835 feet) elevation in a mountainous setting. The ruins preserve sections of its main hall and defensive tower, nestled among rocky terrain and forest.

The first building phase dates to the end of the 12th century, and the name Schalun appears in a deed of 1237. In the 13th century the castle was enlarged with stronger walls and extra buildings. Finds are sparse, suggesting the site was cleared and later burned. After 53 years of private ownership, Hofrat Julius Bankó of Vienna sold the ruin to the municipality of Vaduz in 1933.

Locals call the ruin Wildschloss, "castle in the wild", a name that stuck because of its isolated spot on a rock terrace above Vaduz. The name Schalun itself is first recorded in 1237 in a deed of donation. Visitors reach the site on foot or by mountain bike along a local path.

The ruins are accessible via local footpaths suitable for walking and mountain biking year-round. Sturdy footwear and some physical preparation help, as the terrain is mountainous with uneven ground.

The castle's medieval walls survive up to ten metres high in the Palas, whose masonry is over two metres thick in places. Impressions left by wooden beams show the building had at least two storeys. Of the keep, the south and west walls remain, the south standing up to three metres tall.