Burgstelle Altenteufen

Burgstelle Altenteufen is the site of a vanished medieval castle on the Guggisbuck hill in Freienstein-Teufen, canton of Zurich. No walls remain, yet the earthworks still show how the stronghold was laid out: a ditch and ramparts encircle the castle mound. It suits visitors who enjoy reading history from the landscape.

What was Altenteufen?

Altenteufen, also spelled Alt-Tüfen, was the ancestral seat of the Freiherren von Teufen, the family that took its name from it. Werner von Teufen, a well-known medieval minnesinger, belonged to the line. Sources say the family held the castle until the early 14th century, and the building was probably abandoned around the middle of the 15th century.

What can you see today?

No masonry survives. What you will find is earthwork: a castle mound surrounded by a neck ditch (Halsgraben), the trench that cut the hilltop off from the ridge, along with ramparts. Expect a short, quiet outing that rewards imagination. There are no reconstruction panels and no entry fee.

Where is it?

The Guggisbuck hill lies about two kilometres east of where the Töss meets the Rhine. Roughly a kilometre to the northwest, on a ridge falling toward the Rhine, stood the family's second castle, Hohenteufen. Do not confuse the two sites. Also keep Altenteufen apart from Freienstein castle ruin, a well-preserved structure in the same municipality that local material sometimes calls Alten-Teufen. That is a different monument: Freienstein still stands and is protected by the canton.

Why visit?

The site combines well with a day out in the municipality. The Rhine and Töss area is quiet, green country, and next to Altenteufen you can visit the Freienstein ruin and compare two very different states of medieval fortification: one reduced to the shape of the ground, the other still with walls. That contrast shows why archaeologists pay so much attention to ramparts and ditches.

When should you go?

Spring and autumn are best, when less foliage hides the ramparts and ditch. Wear sturdy shoes, because the forest ground is uneven.

Frequently asked questions

Are there wall remains? No. Only the ramparts and ditch survive.

Is it the same as Burg Freienstein? No. Freienstein is a separate, standing ruin in the same municipality.

Is the site developed for tourists? Sources describe it as a plain site in the countryside, without visitor facilities.

Who lived here? The lords of Teufen, who later built Hohenteufen.

When was it built? The Historical Dictionary of Switzerland says the 12th century, while the municipality's website gives around 1250. The sources disagree.