Wondering what secrets lie beneath your feet? Here, on the Wangener Höhe, are traces of Ehemalige Burg Hedelfingen. This former hilltop castle disappeared in the 14th century.
Ehemalige Burg Hedelfingen once stood proudly. It occupied a large plot northwest of Hedelfingen. Today, that plot is simply known as “Burg.” It even extends into Wangen.
You might think nothing remains. However, some believe they can spot traces of the castle. Look closely at the terrain near the 373.3-meter elevation marker. This area is behind the Burgbrünnele. The Burgbrünnele sits at the Rennweg’s eastern end.
Nearby, running north-south, is the Burggrabenweg. This path follows a ditch. The ditch cuts through the Wangener Höhe. It likely aligns with the castle’s old moat.
Imagine this place in 1926. During excavations, workers unearthed wall remnants and charred debris. These discoveries hint at the Ehemalige Burg Hedelfingen’s past.
Ehemalige Burg Hedelfingen likely controlled Hedelfingen. Hedelfingen was among the earliest possessions of the Counts of Württemberg. The Lords of Bernhausen and others likely governed on their behalf.
Let’s turn to Johann Daniel Georg von Memminger’s 1832 description. He wrote about the Oberamt Canstatt. He noted traces of a considerable castle above the village. Its name and former inhabitants were lost to time. The place was still called “auf der Burg” and had been since 1366.
In that year, Irmelgart, the “Stöfflerin,” made a grant. She was a nun from Weil near Hedelfingen. She was also Bertold von Stöffeln’s niece. She gave away the vineyard “auff der Burg,” called the Stöffeler.
According to Sattler, the Ehemalige Burg Hedelfingen might date back to pagan times. It was said that chests of decayed linen had been discovered in underground vaults.
Consider the Burgbrünnele’s location. It sits on the Ehemalige Burg Hedelfingen’s western edge. The Rennweg runs as a nearly horizontal line. It goes from the Eugen-Denneler-Brunnen to the Bienenbrunnen, then to the Burgbrünnele.
So, as you stand here, remember the Ehemalige Burg Hedelfingen. A castle once dominated this high ground. Its stones may be gone. But its story remains etched in the land.