Alt-Wildberg ruins

Alt-Wildberg ruins
Castle type :	Unsafe location / traces of terrain or parts in newer buildings
Conservation status:	Remnants in newer parts
Place:	Wildberg
Geographical location	47 ° 25 '36.6 " N , 8 ° 49' 2.9" E Coordinates: 47 ° 25 '36.6 " N , 8 ° 49' 2.9" E ; CH1903: 704030 / 253,805

The Alt-Wildberg Castle in the village of Wildberg in the canton of Zurich can no longer be seen today, but it is believed that an old rectory, which burned down in 1530, was built on the ruins of the castle. As an argument for this theory, the thickness of the foundation walls of the rectory is given.

history

Walther I. von Wildberg is regarded as the progenitor of the so-called "Nobles von Wildberg", who were very powerful in this region between the 13th and 15th centuries and owned four castles.

In 1320 the Wildberg knight family was hit by severe blows of fate. A seven year old son drowned in a stream. At the same time, Alt-Wildberg Castle burned down completely. The family bought a small castle from relatives in Tösstal, which can now be viewed as the Tössegg ruins .

legend

A legend has been preserved around the fire of the castle:
In the second half of the 13th century, according to a legend, a violent robber baron by the name of Diethelm von Griessenberg lived in Wildberg Castle in Gündisau. The poor farmer Meinrad Bünzli lived while watering in the forest. In the summer of 1291, the farmer's youngest sister fled because the Freiherr von Breitenlandenberg was chasing after her. When the robber baron found out about the maiden, he went into the farmer's hut and laughed and snatched the defenseless creature. When Meinrad saw this, he got angry and caught up with the robber, whereupon there was a fight. The girl wanted to flee and fell down the watering hole and died. Furious, the robber wanted to kill Meinrad, but the latter also pushed him down the Giessen. The farmer went down to the two of them and in blind rage killed the robber who was still alive. The people of Wildberg allied themselves with the surrounding villages, armed themselves with scythes and spits in order to wipe out the whole gang of robbers in the castle. They surrounded the castle and when the other robbers worried about Diethelm and wanted to look for him, they were attacked by the villagers. Then the Wildbergers set fire to the castle. The robber baron was buried in the rubble and it is said today that if you stamp your foot vigorously at this point, you will hear a subterranean roar. Under the floor there is supposed to be a cave or a vault that guards Diethelm's stolen treasures.