The fortress of the Schenken von Schenkenberg family

Schenkenburg rests upon a peak 588.3 metres above sea level. This nearly free-standing mountain watches over the Neckar and Schenkenbach valleys. Nature offers protection through western and southern slopes, while the north and east sides feature a right-angled ditch.

This seat belonged to the old Swiss noble family Schenken von Schenkenberg. They appeared as witnesses as early as 1169. Several members served as abbots at Alpirsbach Abbey, including Walter Schenk von Schenkenberg (1303–1336), Brun Schenk von Schenkenberg (1337–1377), and Konrad Schenk von Schenkenberg (1447, resigned 1450). The family was buried at Alpirsbach Abbey, where a depiction of their coat of arms - a half eagle rising in the upper part of the shield with a chevron below - is found on the exterior wall of the building.

Architecturally, the fortress was a compact defense. It held a residential tower measuring 12.2 by 11.1 metres, surrounding a courtyard with a two-metre thick ring wall. During the 15th century, influence faded. The family pledged the castle in 1414 and sold it to Konrad von Stein in 1421. By 1450, the local lineage vanished.

Today, few walls remain of the complex. A map from 1564 already depicted the site as a ruin. This skeletal frame of stone meets the sky. Visitors find a quiet remnant of medieval power, where ancient masonry faces the wind.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons