Ringwall Altenstein

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Ringwall Altenstein
Area of ​​the Altenstein ring wall

Area of ​​the Altenstein ring wall

Castle type : Hilltop castle
Conservation status: Burgstall, ground monument
Construction: Dry stone wall
Place: Taunusstein - Hahn
Geographical location 50 ° 7 '52 .6 "  N , 8 ° 10' 16.6"  E Coordinates: 50 ° 7  '52.6 " N , 8 ° 10' 16.6"  E
Height: 490  m above sea level NN
Ringwall Altenstein (Hesse)
Ringwall Altenstein

The Altenstein ring wall is a disused ring wall in the Taunus approx. 1.0 km south of Taunusstein - Hahn in the Rheingau-Taunus district . Its actual existence is disputed. A dating of the complex is not possible to this day due to the unclear local representation, as well as the lack of finds.

Location and description

The facility is located on the western of the two peaks of the Altenstein. The wall itself was probably a double wall system based on dry masonry . The shape was oval. The inner ring covered an area of ​​approx. 0.07 ha with a maximum extension of 40 m and a width of 27 m. The outer ring includes approx. 0.33 ha. The vulnerable side is the west.

There are only small remains of the ramparts today. The presence of the remains of the wall can be determined mainly by the large number of hewn stone. In the area of ​​a grassy area, you can feel the remains of dry brickwork when you walk over it. In the wooded area, the dry stone wall is covered by the forest floor. In fact, however, the exact representation of the ramparts has not been clarified.

The Altenstein rock

To the east of the complex, on the second summit of the Altenstein, are the natural monuments Altenstein and Spitzenstein . These show traces of processing.

Earlier form of the rock and any remnants of ramparts largely destroyed by stone extraction for the construction of the new Aarstrasse and especially Aartalstrasse (B54 and B275) in the years 1854–57. Protesting in vain against it, Ludwig von Preuschen von und zu Liebenstein , one of the pioneers of Limes research, describes the rock as "in time immemorial" ... "by human hands" ... "in a cube-shaped shape with verticals pointing to four parts of the world Side walls and horizontal surface processed ", of which" the workers "..." have already completely broken away the northwest corner, so that they have already reached the center of the cube "(HHStAW 1018/43). Accordingly, only the northeast corner would be preserved today, if at all.

Function and dating

A dating of the complex is not possible today due to the lack of finds. Their function is also completely unknown. There may be a connection to the pass, the Iron Hand , which is around 600 meters away . A function as a mountain sanctuary is also conceivable, especially in relation to the two natural monuments . The traditional cube shape could have meaning in the context of archaeoastronomy .

Monument protection

The area of ​​the ramparts is a ground monument according to the Hessian Monument Protection Act . Investigations and targeted collection of finds are subject to approval, and accidental finds are reported to the monument authorities. The same applies to the two natural monuments.

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