Alt-Bichelsee Castle, Ruins of a hill castle
Alt-Bichelsee is a castle ruin located on a steep ridge above the village of Bichelsee in Thurgau. The remains show foundations, ditches, and terraced levels that show how the fortress once rose across several stories on different heights of the hillside.
The castle was built around 1250 by the local noble family called the Herren von Bichelsee, who are first mentioned in records from 1209. The family lost power after conflicts and fires, sold the property in 1358, and watched it burn again when Appenzell forces attacked in the late 1300s.
The ruins overlook the village of Bichelsee and mark where a local noble family once lived and held power over the region. Today you can still see how they controlled the area from this high point and how important the castle was to people living below.
The ruins are reachable by hiking trails that start from the village and lead through fields and woods up to the hilltop. Wear sturdy shoes for the steep final climb and uneven ground at the site.
Archaeological digs since the early 1900s have uncovered broken pottery, nails, and arrowheads buried beneath the soil. These finds give visitors today a tangible connection to the soldiers and families who lived in the castle centuries ago.
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