Alt-Landenberg ruin, Castle ruin in Bauma, Zurich, Switzerland

Alt-Landenberg is a medieval castle ruin near Bauma in the Zurich region, with substantial stone walls and rectangular foundations visible throughout the site. The remains are spread across the hillside in a layout that shows how the fortress was organized and defended.

Built around 1200 as a clearing castle, Alt-Landenberg first appears with the knights Rudolf and his son Pantaleon, who died in 1315 at the Battle of Morgarten fighting for the Habsburgs. The castle then reverted to St. Gallen Abbey, passed through several owners and came to Zurich in 1549. By 1651 the last holder, Hans Rüegg, offered its stones for a church building. The ruin was excavated and restored in 1958/63.

The name Alt-Landenberg means old Landenberg and reflects its former role as a lordly seat in the region. Visitors can observe how the ruin sits within the natural slope and how its location once commanded the surrounding valley.

The ruin is accessible via marked paths from Bauma and is best visited during daylight hours when visibility is good. The terrain is somewhat steep in places, so sturdy footwear and careful movement around the structures is recommended.

The castle had no keep: no trace of a bergfried was ever found. Its water came from a 14-metre-deep sod well built later against the west side, and the narrow western section may have held a staircase. Much of the masonry uses tuff, a stone that gives the walls their porous look.