Ruins Madeln, Castle ruin on Adler Mountain in Pratteln, Switzerland

Ruins Madeln is a medieval castle ruin located on Adler Mountain near Pratteln. The remaining walls show traces of a double fortification system that once protected the central area.

The Lords of Eptingen built the castle in 1270 on the mountain peak. The structure was severely damaged during the Basel earthquake of 1356, which left it abandoned for centuries.

The name Madeln is tied to the legend of the Madlenjäger, a variant of the Wild Hunt: the knight of Madeln is said to have killed the knight of Schauenburg to take his wife, and now hunts with his white dog in the Adlerberg woods. Locals read the tale as a sign of coming stormy weather.

The site is accessible by walking paths and offers views across the surrounding region. Sturdy footwear is recommended since the ground is uneven and partly overgrown.

In 1939 soldiers building the Adler Süd artillery observation bunker hit two wall lines of the forgotten ruin. Excavations up to 1940 uncovered large parts of the site and finds including two well-preserved pot helms; in 1943 it was reburied with earth to protect it from decay.